


Living Well

by hungryliar



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (Not by any of the Hales), Actor AU, Actor Stiles Stilinski, Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Derek Hale, Alpha Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), BAMF Stiles, Bad Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), CEO Derek Hale, Cora Hale Ships It, Cora Hale is a Little Shit, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Drama & Romance, Embedded Images, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Gen, Gross Displays of Capitalism, Hidden Marriage AU, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jackson Whittemore is a Hale, Jackson Whittemore is a Little Shit, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Melody is also a Little Shit, Memes, No Beta- We die like men!, Non-Werewolf Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Not Beta Read, Oblivious Stiles Stilinski, Omega Allison Argent, Omega Stiles Stilinski, Other, Out of Character, Please let me know if something should be tagged that isn't, Rating May Change, Single Parent Derek Hale, Slow Burn, Sort Of, Stiles Stilinski Needs a Hug, Stiles Stilinski is a Little Shit, Stiles Stilinski is an Argent, Stiles Stilinski-centric, Strangers to Lovers, The Hale Family (Teen Wolf) Lives, Werewolves, but they're also a business mogul family, everyone is bad at emotions, holy shit thats a lot of tags, my apologies, not that big but still big, so please let me know if i fuck something up, some dubcon inherent to abo and also to full marks, spoilers in the tags, the Argents are still a hunter family, the Hales are MEGARICH, there's some light squicky things in the beginning, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 57,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21728260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hungryliar/pseuds/hungryliar
Summary: Stiles has had quite the eventful, yet short 22 years of life. He'd uprooted himself from life with his adoptive family and given up his dreams of becoming a world-famous actor as a teenager to marry his childhood sweetheart-- an alpha that ended up lying to him, then let his family send him away after a traumatic accident before shacking up with his sort-of sister instead. A bit of a shitty start, but Stiles is ready to pick himself up and dust himself off!Now, Stiles is ready to take the world by storm in his first big role in a major production!But before all that happens, he's got to figure out what to do about this weird pack that seems to have imprinted on him after he accidentally saved their youngest child. Oh, but Babywulf is too cute! He can deal with Derek Hale's peculiarities if it meant he got to spend time with his adorable daughter!And, well, Derek is super hot and no alpha has treated Stiles this well in... pretty much forever.Living Well (is the best revenge)Teen Wolf X Full Marks, Hidden Marriage AU[Fic is not abandoned. I'mjust having a tough time. Sorry!](bad summary is bad, but i'm enjoying myself and coping as well as i can, so heres a TW fic!!!)
Relationships: Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Past Scott McCall/Stiles Stilinski - Relationship, Past Stiles Stilinski/Jackson Whittemore - Relationship
Comments: 341
Kudos: 932





	1. je l'ai aimé, je crois (prologue)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Star Damaged](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20272918) by [Cone_of_Depression](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cone_of_Depression/pseuds/Cone_of_Depression). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue:  
> Stiles meets up with his childhood sweetheart after a pregnancy check-up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so i have no idea how i deleted the prologue. i might have also accidentally posted some new chapters up out of order? i'm pretty new to ao3 and i'm still figuring out how things work.  
> sorry if you got a flurry of notifications.  
> this isn't a new chapter, i just managed to fuck stuff up somehow???  
> sorry bout that  
> chapter title from the song Upon Cobblestone Streets by The Family Crest  
> xoxo hungry

#### Living Well

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion  


_Prologue -- je l'ai aimé, je crois_

**chapter warnings/spoilers:** a pregnant person (stiles) is hit by a car toward the end of the chapter. if you don't want to read that, you can skip this one because it's just the prologue and you'll honestly be able to pick up everything that happened here in later chapters. okay love you bye on with the fic>>

.  
.  
.

_Stiles's entire body burned hot as magma. It almost seemed like the sweat pouring from his body left him in rivulets of steam. He whimpered, a desperate plea for the alpha in front of him to be his savior.  
_

_He clung tightly to the alpha's cool skin. His omegan survival instincts made him give up all resistance and he sagged into the alpha's hold.  
_

_Slowly, but steadily, the pain in Stiles's body turned into pleasure, arcing like a fireworks explosion rising in the sky. He panted against the alpha's skin. The alpha's hands were marble, squeezing sweet bruises into this thighs, holding him down- back down to the earth from where he was floating, a spark of fire and magic contrasting against the endless black of night--_  


"Hey, wake up! You'll catch a cold out here!"  


A sharp pressure on his shoulders made Stiles jerk awake. He met the concerned eyes of a nurse leaning over him, confusion wrought all over his face. She gave the boy a warm smile. He avoided her gaze in shame, wanting to crawl right into the ground.  


_Damn!_ Though it had been such a long time since his one heat-drunken night with Scott, it kept appearing in his dreams so he couldn't forget about it. Stiles had been drunk as all hell even before he realized that his heat was creeping up on him, so he could only recall a few scant moments from that night. Otherwise, he didn't know how he could look Scotty in the eye with a straight face.  


When the nurse realized he had finally woken all the way up, she passed the papers in her hands to him. She ruffled his short, dark hair and whispered conspiratorily to him, "You forgot to take your baby's health results. The pregnancy is a bit of a drain on your health, so Dr. Patrick would like you to come in next week, too!"  


Stiles clutched the report to his chest and smiled sweetly, thanking her.  


Scott had been studying abroad for the past few months, but he should be on a flight back tonight. Stiles tensed up thinking about it. Since the area Scott was traveling was nearly inaccessible, he couldn't be contacted until Stiles was already 30 weeks pregnant- a little over seven months. The shock Scott must have felt when he got news of the pregnancy had probably been tremendous and it made Stiles nervous.  


Was it because he was particularly sensitive from the pregnancy? Stiles felt that Scott wasn't nearly as happy about their baby as he was. Dr. Patrick had reassured him through his mini panic attack in the office, saying that alphas were usually like this with their first child and it would take some time before Scott showed that he was truly overjoyed! Stiles still wasn't so sure about that. Even with their engagement, Stiles had been the one to speak up about his feeling first.  


Stiles struggled to balance himself as he stood from the bench he had been sitting on- his center of balance had morphed as his stomach grew larger and he still wasn't used to it- and a shiny black sports car swerved towards him while he prepared to call a taxi. Stiles's heart thudded sharp against his ribs and he stumbled a few steps back. He couldn't relax even after hearing a loud screech from the black car's brakes. The car grill brushed the hem of his shirt before stopping abruptly.  


His heart almost stopped. After slowly regaining his footing, he saw a woman with long, brown hair and severe-looking dark eyes stalking towards him. He let out a short puff of breath when he realized who it was and he stumbled towards her, "Goodness fucking gracious, Allie-cat, are you _crazy_?"  


Allison's mouth was twisted in an uncomfortable grimace. She laid her hands on Stiles's shoulders and stared down into his eyes, using the added height of her heels to keep him pinned to the spot. She kept her arms stretched between them, maintaining the distance he kept trying to close. She sighed deeply, "Stiles- Stiles, you can't see Scott yet. There's something I have to tell you. And Stiles, you have to understand- I'm so, so sorry!"  


Stiles furrowed his eyebrows. He gripped Allison's hands on his shoulders and frowned, "Woah, woah! Slow down, Allison! What's going on?"  


"We haven't talked in a while. I- who else knows you're pregnant?" She shook him lightly and looked down at his stomach.  


"I- um. No one? You, Scott, Chris, and Victoria. It's not like I can get out much. Allie, I think you need to sit down."  


Stiles tried to maneuver Allison away from the car and onto the bench he had previously been inhabiting. She resisted his pull and shoved her hands off of him. 

Tears began beading at the edges of the girl's eyes, "Oh, thank God! I told mom we should have said something earlier."  


"Said what, Allison?" Stiles huffed, frustrated now, "What could you and Victoria possibly have to do with me and Scott's baby?"  


"Oh, Stiles," Allison shook her head solemnly, "You were so out of it during your heat that you couldn't tell. Then, you were so happy when you found out you were pregnant that I just couldn't-"  


"Allison, for real," Stiles growled against her shoulder when she pulled him in tight for a hug. "You gotta tell me what's going on or I'm gonna get scared. That's not good for the baby, you know."  


"That's not Scott's baby, Stiles."  


Stiles stiffened, then pushed Allison away from him harshly. He let out a cold little chuckle, "Okay, Allie. I know we've had a bit of a life-long prank war going on right now, but this one? Not funny."  


He knew it was ridiculous, but Allison's words really made him sick to his stomach. After spending three years under the same roof as her, he got really good at reading her and she looked like she was serious right now. Like she whole-heartedly believed what she was saying, "We can't let anyone see you, Stiles. Come get in the car."  


He flinched away from her grasping hands, snarling at her, "Allison, for real-"  


"Stiles, please! You say you grew up with Scott. Can you really remember being with him that night if you know him so well?"  


Stiles grew pale as he listened. Despite being under the scorching California sun, his whole body felt cold.  


The alpha from that night-  


Stiles had a passing thought as he gripped at the alpha's shoulders. _Scott's shoulder seemed so much broader in the dark. His hands felt bigger, more calloused, and his cheekbones felt sharper. But everyone is infinitely sexier in the thick of the moment when you're both tangled together._  


Now with Allison's sudden reminder, he recalled that other than his body, that alpha was indeed very different from how he remembered Scott to be.  


"I'm sorry! I'll tell you the truth, all of it, I swear, but you can't let anybody see you like this! Just get in the car- come with me!" Allison reached out to him, but Stiles flinched away from her. She had a wounded look on her face and Stiles got angry. How could she possibly be more hurt than him right now? How could she push this so far?  


He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, "Okay, Allie, look- I'm not going anywhere except to see Scott right now. Like, I know you've got a crush on him, too, but to try to use our baby to break us up? Not a good look."  


Allison tried to dry the tears from her eyes before continuing. She took Stiles's hand in her own and wouldn't let go, no matter how hard he pulled, "Stiles, someone drugged you at that party. We- they put heat-inducers in your drink, so Scott rented a motel room for you to tough out the night, but while we were gone-“  


“Allison, stop-“  


“I’ll tell you the truth, I promise, but you can’t be out here, Stiles, _please_."  


“I said stop, Allison-“ he growled.  


"Stiles!" she tugged hard on his arm and pulls him closer toward the car. Stiles had had enough. He used all his strength to twist away from her grip and shove her back. Allison stumbled back several feet, falling against the car door with a thud, "Ow! Fuck! Wait-"  


"No, Allison, I'm done playing these fucking games with you and the rest of the Argents!" Stiles shouted, tugging at his hair frustratedly. His voice cracked and his eyes burned, "Why can't you just let me have this?"  


Allison didn't move from her position slumped against the car door, eyes wide. 

She didn't say anything more to him- she couldn't bring herself to.  


"Stiles, what-" a familiar voice called from behind the strained tableau the two created. Stiles swiveled around, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips as all tension drained from his body.  


"Scott, you're here early!" Stiles forgot all about his frustration as he looked in the alpha's deep brown eyes. He ignored the prick of uneasiness at the back of his mind when he noticed the cold expression on Scott's face.  


Scott simply brushed past Stiles's open arms, instead reaching to help Allison steady herself and stand. Allison practically draped her whole body over Scott's, "Allison, are you okay?"  


She stared meaningfully into the alpha's eyes, holding onto his arms with a tender, yet unbreakable grip, "I had to tell him, Scott. He's not one of us, but this- I just-"  


"That's enough," Scott tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear as a soothing gesture, "You get in the car. I'll explain everything to Stiles."  


Stiles's mind went completely blank. He watched Scott walk towards him and open and close his mouth in aborted gestures a few times. Then, after a few moments, he spoke.  


Scott talked and he talked and he talked for what seemed like forever.  


He talked about their time together as childhood sweethearts. He talked of his internal struggle when he realized he had fallen for Allison. He talked about his anger when he heard about the plot to drug Stiles at the party, of his shock and guilt when it was revealed Stiles was pregnant. He talked about taking comfort in Allison and how happy he was when he found out she was in love with him, too.  


Finally, he sighed and said, "Stiles, I can't marry you. I'm sorry. It's not because of what happened to you or because of the child, but... I can't let Allison down, man. I don't want to pretend or hide my feelings anymore."  


These past few months, he and Allison had been visiting each other while Scott was overseas, and after being together day and night, it had become excruciating to try and separate themselves anymore. Even though Scott was the one to tell Stiles he helped the omega with his heat to try and save Stiles from further pain, in his heart, he had long chosen Allison.  


After finding out that Stiles had become pregnant, he couldn't bear it any longer and immediately went to explain things to the Argents, and to finally tell Stiles the truth.  


As Scott spoke, Stiles curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around himself and the baby in his womb. His voice came out so hoarse, he almost didn't recognize himself, "Tell me one thing, Scott. Who did this to me- who drugged me and left me to be raped by random alphas?"  


Scott winced. He moved subtly between the omega and the car Allison sat in, "Stiles, we're still so young and impulsive. You know she didn't mean-"  


" _Bullshit!_ " Stiles poured all of his anguish into that one outburst, trying to keep hot tears from spilling down his cheeks, but he couldn't stop them, "This is _wrong!_ It's wrong and _you knew it_ and _you lied to protect her!_ "  


"She was manipulated, too, Stiles!" Scott bit his lip before reaching out to try and calm the despairing omega, "Look, let's go home. You can't be out here."  


"Don't _fucking_ touch me!" Stiles slapped Scott's hands away and begun laughing hysterically.  


Fuck, Stiles's whole life was a joke.  


In order to match Scott's upbringing and family background so the alpha's shitty father would agree to their relationship, Stiles left his adoptive family to return to the Argents, clumsily trying to please these so-called high-class elite pack members.  


In the end, all he got was one careless sentence- _"I can't let Allison down, man."_  


Allison Argent had not only taken his identity, his place in the pack, his biological parents but now, she had even stolen Scott, his beloved sweetheart, from Stiles.  


Allison was still young, so her mistakes could be forgiven while Stiles was supposed to live as a second-class citizen, burying his trauma and forgetting his broken dreams?  


Who would take responsibility for Stiles's life?  


Stiles covered his face, body shaking fiercely- he was already drowning in despair.  


Scott watched Stiles stumble into the road unthinkingly, as if in a trance. The alpha threw away the cigarette he was about to light and began to chase after the boy, but was held back by Allison, who opened the door to hold his sleeve from behind.  


"Scott?" she croaked helplessly, "W-where are you going?"  


In the short moment Scott hesitated, a loud screech rang out. Stiles, who had been crossing at the light, was thrown into the air and landed with a sickening noise on the ground.  


"Help! Help!" a stranger screamed, "A pregnant omega was just hit! Somebody call the police!"  


In the glaring city lights, Stiles saw two hazy silhouettes that made him feel nauseous. The cramping pain radiating from his belly caused his consciousness to slip away bit by bit. Blood obscured his gaze as a wound on his forehead flowed into his eyes.  


_The world became dark and  
_

_Stiles  
_

_went  
_

_to_

_sleep._


	2. i am to see to it that i do not lose you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (the child in the bar)  
> Five years after Stiles's... _accident_ , he's got his heart set on auditioning for a part in a historical drama by one of his favorite directors. It'd be his first role in a big-budget major motion picture!  
> Alas, his manager is a bitch and she's willing to go to great lengths to stop him from making it big.  
> 'No, it wouldn't do to let the Argent's little mistake be in the public eye at all, now would it?' Stiles muses.  
> But honestly, who leaves a kid in some dank back room of a bar?  
> People are crazy these days.
> 
> (author's note: i don't know much about hollywood or acting or how it works, yall. this is almost certainly not accurate to the process of being an actor or whater. i;m not the best autodidact.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no chapter warnings this time!  
> i mean, Stiles gets a little bit banged up and there's a kid with a fever, but spoiler alert: they both live

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles had been drinking the whole night, accompanying some investors that had taken a liking to him and his agency at Eton bar. It wasn't late enough at night for Stiles to be comfortable being this fucking drunk. He stumbled away from the gathering into a musty bathroom to splash water in his face, but honestly, he just wanted to find a nice, clean couch in a quiet corner or something to lay down on and sober up, or at least find some aspirin to alleviate his splitting headache. He hadn't expected his manager to come looking for him, though. He could only sigh and compose himself as well as one could in a few seconds to deal with her. He flashed her a toothy, unfriendly smile, "Ms. Blake! Is there anything I can help you with?" 

The woman sneered at him, "Don't waste my time with small talk, kid. Did you register to audition for the lead role in _Distant Heaven_?" 

"Yes. Why?" 

"You're not allowed to go tomorrow." Blake huffed derisively. Although she was his manager, she did stuff like this all the time- making his life harder when he tried to do something to further his career. Even now she wanted to prevent him from even auditioning for this role that all the major entertainment companies were salivating over. 

Stiles wasn't surprised or disheartened a bit. He only raised his eyebrow at her, then turned back to his reflection in the dirty bathroom mirror, "Is there a reason, or...?" 

"You went behind the company's back and you still want a reason? You didn't even ask me for permission to register. If you had, I'd have told you that we've already arranged for Allison to audition." 

"I don't see how my audition will conflict with hers in any way," Stiles gave her reflection a small grin that looked more like a grimace, "Which one of them made you come find me- Allie or Victoria? Is she afraid that some no-name actor is gonna snatch her role?" 

"You think you've got what it takes to get a role in the first place? Keep dreaming, brat! You're wasting your time. The Argents are big backers of this movie, so Allison's already got a spot secured," Blake snarled, "You're lucky they let you show your face in minor roles, you pathetic, mangy, forgotten omega!" 

"Then why are you so anxious?" Stiles sighed. 

That made Blake stop, jarred for just a moment, before hissing venomously, "You're my artist, so you have to listen to me!" 

"Oh!" Stiles huffed, breaking their gaze through the mirror. He wiped the last few droplets of water clinging to his cheeks away with the back of his hand, "I'm glad you haven't forgotten that you're actually _my manager_. You don't act like it most times." 

As he finished speaking, Stiles felt a strong blow to the back of his head. It knocked the wind out of him, and in the few moments he remained disoriented, Blake dragged the boy into a storeroom directly across from the bathroom's entrance. His phone fell out of his pocket just outside the door. 

With a cruel sneer and a resounding _bang!_ , Blake slammed the door in his face, cutting him off from the world. 

Stiles didn't react for a few seconds, still recovering from the punishing blow earlier. As he took in a few deep breaths, footsteps slowly drifted away from the door. He kept silent, knowing that shouting wouldn't do anything but serve to exhaust himself. Blake would only arrange some shitty role as a henchman or a prostitute or something as revenge for the annoyance later for him. 

Damn, but she had grown bold in how far she would go to keep Stiles for getting anywhere. Even going so far as hitting him and locking him in a closet was a bit too far compared to her usual petty gestures. 

If Stiles couldn't get a role this time, he'd have to think of some way to leave Silverpoint Entertainment entirely. 

Amidst Stiles's turbulent thoughts, a small sound traveled to his ears. Was there a rat or something? 

The omega followed the direction the sound was coming from- and was stunned. 

He saw a little girl hunched behind a stack of boxes. 

The pup looked to be about four or five. She was an absolutely precious sight with big, clear hazel eyes flecked with gold and rimmed with thick, dark lashes. Her skin was soft and unblemished, roasted peach, and her cheeks were ruddy. Her whole face was framed by a halo of loosely curled jet black hair. 

Who would bring their pup to a bar and then leave her in a storeroom? No one would be so careless, right? 

"Um," he started, "Hey, baby doll, who are you? How'd you get in here?" 

The little girl furrowed her eyebrows but didn't move or speak. 

Stiles began again, "Did you sneak in?" 

Nothing. 

"Were you... also locked in here by some bi- meanie?" 

Nothing. 

"I've got some, uh... peppermints in my pocket. Want one?" 

Even after questioning the pup over and over again, she remained silent but started shaking like a frightened kitten. The sight made Stiles's cold heart ache. 

He didn't bother to continue trying to get answers from the child. He could understand if the pup preferred the quiet. He probably wouldn't talk to some strange adult that got thrown into a storeroom either, if he was in her position. He settled into a cross-legged position, reclining against the wall next to the door, and rested his eyes. 

After a few minutes in the peaceful silence, the sole light bulb hanging above them flickered weakly, then went out. Stiles heard a chattering sound, accompanied by almost imperceptible whimpers every now and again. 

He chuckled in spite of himself and lifted an eyelid to peer at the pup huddled near the boxes to ask, "You scared of the dark?" 

The chattering sound paused for a second but returned in full force not long after. Stiles groaned, then stood to walk to the little girl, bemoaning in his mind how the movement worsened his headache. Why wouldn't his conscience let the pup tough it out instead of making him go try to comfort her? 

The little pup tensed when she noticed he was scuttling towards her and her face grew pale. She seemed to brace herself for a blow, or whatever else she expected the adult omega to do to her. 

Stifiling his frown, Stiles just sat down next to her and did nothing. He relaxed and shut his eyes again to hopefully take a nap. He whispered to the pup, "Relax, kid. Wake me up if anyone comes. If they try anything funny, I'll just beat 'em up- you'll see!" 

He figured that after the shitty day he'd had so far- having to cozy up to asshole investors and then being assaulted by his own damn manager-- he could afford to take a nap. Maybe his headache would finally clear up. And, hey- maybe the pup's parents would come looking for her. 

Stiles last thought before sleep took him was that he'd bash their heads in for losing their kid in such a sleazy bar. 

.

.

.

Stiles jerked awake after a while, stifling a sharp gasp. He couldn't immediately see anything that would have woken him. Probably just shitty dreams and anxiety again. He sighed before noticing that his left thigh was warm. He looked down and could see that at some point, the black-haired pup had snuggled up him to use his leg as a pillow. Her little fist was even grasping the bottom of his shirt. He could smell weak pheromones on her, letting him know that she'd grow into a strong alpha one day if she could stay healthy, but her development was a little behind. 

Stiles couldn't help but laugh at the situation he'd somehow found himself in. He lifted his hand to lightly smooth her hair down. 

When he'd lived back in Beacon Hills, in the ass-end of no-where North California, there was a stray cat that his mother (well, his adoptive mother) would feed. It was skittish and would hiss at Stiles and his mother at first, but one day they spent a whole day together, sitting still and bringing food for the cat. After a while, it realized they weren't a threat. By the end of the night, it sidled up to them for head and tummy rubs. 

Stiles's mother had told him then, " _Sometimes, you've just got to wait and let people come to you._ " 

" _But moooom!_ " Stiles had whined, threading his small fingers through the cat's fur, " _This took so looooong! I like cat hugs!_ " 

She only chuckled and told him that some of the best things were worth the wait. 

As Stiles mused, the pup seemed to notice his warm gaze. She blushed a bit, but she didn't flinch away and didn't seem to panic at his touch. Now, she peered up at him almost curiously. 

His mother sure had been smart. 

He slid his hand down from her hair to brush some strands away from her forehead but was startled by the heat he found there. The omega's eyes widened in shock and he pressed the back of his hand fully against her forehead to be sure. He hissed, "Babydoll, you're burning up!" 

Stiles bit his lip, stifling a curse. Blake would probably leave him in this storeroom the whole night so he couldn't make it to the audition tomorrow, but it wasn't safe to keep a pup with such a high fever from medical attention for so long! 

Stiles's mind was racing for solutions when he noticed something odd. Though the only lightbulb in the room had blown out earlier, there was still light coming from somewhere. He peered up, searching for the light source and saw a small skylight. 

" 'Scuse me, sweetheart," the omega lightly tapped the pup so she would lift her self up and let him stand. He began searching for something sturdier than the empty, flimsy cardboard boxes surrounding him that he could stack to reach the window. Behind some of the boxes was a rickety-looking ladder. Ignoring his misgivings, he moved the ladder underneath the skylight when he couldn't find anything else. He turned back to the pup and waved her over, "Alright, babydoll! Come here so I can help you get out!" 

The little pup finally responded to his words, but not in a way he expected. The pup glanced ominously from him to the ladder, to the window, and back, and she pouted and firmly shook her head no. She had a stubborn gleam in her eye. Stiles huffed a short laugh, but kneeled in front of the child and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her resolutely in the eye, "You're tough, huh? It's very brave of you to want to wait this one out with me, but you're the only one who can fit through this window. See?" 

The little girl looked him in the eye just as sternly, unblinking. Stiles sighed, seeming to relent, but then he picked the pup up and placed her gingerly on the ladder himself. She curled her lip in a defiant snarl and he saw the tips of her abnormally sharp teeth, even for an alpha pup, "Woah- forget babydoll! You're a big, strong baby wolf! Look, sweetheart, if you go now, you can bring back someone to save me. I'll make sure you don't fall and then I'll wait for you here!" 

She gripped the ladder rungs tightly, preparing to climb, but she still peered back at him hesitantly. He gave her an encouraging look, ignoring the spikes of pain that kept bouncing through his head. When the pup made it to the top, Stiles felt a wave of dizziness overtake him and he lost control of his legs. It only took a moment for him to fall a few feet from the top of the ladder, near the ceiling, all the way back to the cold, hard floor. His head cracked against the concrete, blurring his vision and making him bite his lip so hard it burst. 

The pup had made it out of the skylight by that point, but she quickly turned around and whimpered when she saw Stiles groaning on the ground. He winced and reached up, trying to make some sort of dismissive motion. He tried to slow his heartbeat and began releasing a wave of soothing pheromones, "D-don't worry about me, baby wolf. I'll be fine. Go on, baby..." 

He heard her sniffle as she moved away from the window. Stiles kept babbling to himself, almost delirious as he listened to the pup scurry away. 

"Baby wolf, baby wolf, Beowulf, Babywulf, _haha-_ baby... Go be safe." 

He bitterly laughed to himself. Stiles wasn't the same ignorant omega he'd been when he'd been plucked out of Beacon Hills. What use was it for the ugly duckling to grow into a black swan if he was just going to die in some bar's storeroom? Before he'd ever make something of himself, he'd fallen down here, where no one cared or even knew that he needed help. 

_Well_ , he mused, _one person knows where I am. At least I got to help that kid out._

Alone and in pain in the dark, Stiles had nothing left but to stew in his thoughts. After the car accident and his hospital stay five years ago, the Argents sent him away to a boarding university that specialized in reforming the wayward children of elite packs all the way in Europe. They'd had his bags packed as soon as he was released from the hospital and then they'd left him to fend for himself. As soon as he was able to, he withdrew from that school and managed to claw his way into a scholarship program at Oxford's School of Drama. 

He had been determined to make up for all the time he'd lost trying to make Scott and the Argents happy, denying himself. He near drove himself crazy those few years drinking up all the knowledge he could. All that trouble to take his life back into his own hands and reclaim everything that he'd lost- his happiness, his dreams, his true place... 

When he graduated, he returned to California a completely new person with stronger walls and sharper teeth to protect himself with. He was immediately snapped up by Blake, and not knowing any better, he signed on as an artist under Silverpoint Entertainment, which was known as one of the industry's best. 

Stiles should have had a blossoming future right off the bat, but someone must have tipped off his birth family, who would do anything to keep him, their dirty little secret, from seeing the light of day. On top of that, Allison signed with the company not long after, and with her standing in such a powerful pack as the Argents, everyone fell over themselves making sure to please her and give her the best opportunities available while shunning Stiles. He was sure that it was either Victoria or Allison that convinced Blake to suppress all his efforts. 

He chuckled. They really did it this time. After tonight, Blake and the Argents wouldn't need to waste time trying to keep Stiles silent anymore. 

For another shitty day in his life, Stiles gave up and _went to sleep_. 

. 

. 

. 

The atmosphere the reception room of Eton bar was so tense, one could slice through it like butter. The air was oppressively thick with pheromones meant to intimidate everyone. All the upper staff in the bar, security staff, and anyone else that could possibly be implicated were all standing in a row, near shaking in their trepidation. They couldn’t bear to think of what would become of them if no one could find Derek Hale’s daughter. She was their Little Princess, the golden child of the Hale pack and sole heir to Hale Corporation and all their fortunes. 

And she had gone missing _in their bar_. 

Derek Hale himself sat in a luxurious, high backed chair looking over everyone. His face blank, but everyone could tell there was a violent storm brewing underneath and none of them would survive it when he finally let loose. He didn’t say a word to the terrified staff wallowing in their own fear and self-pity. 

Cora Hale, looking more haggard by the second, finally trudged into the room, tensing under the stifling cloud of angry pheromones her older brother was releasing in the air. 

_Damn,_ she thought, _he must be really, actually livid this time if he’s not even bothering to hide his scent. These folks are practically choking on it._

She winced under his glare, "Sorry, bro. We can’t find her. Even trying to follow her scent is useless, since she’s barely got one yet.” 

The oppressive air in the room simply got thicker. 

She swallowed, “God, if anything happens to Princess Melody, I don’t know what I’ll do with myself.” 

Derek’s lip curled into a vicious snarl, “I do.” 

The gathered staff held in a frightful whimper. If Derek was angry even with his younger sister, his esteemed left hand, then they didn’t stand a chance. They probably wouldn’t escape with their lives, never mind their jobs. 

Laura sighed and spoke up from over the speakerphone, “Calm down, Derek. Look, we’ll give it another hour before we call Mom and Dad and have them send out the real reinforcements, okay?” 

The elder Hales were overseas at the moment. If they were to hear that their Little Princess was missing, they’d fly back immediately. Nevermind Derek’s temper- Talia Hale would flay everyone in that room alive, including her children! 

Suddenly, a small knock broke the silence in the room. The bar’s owner, who was closest to the door, was the first to answer it, wondering who it could possibly be. He bent his down and his eyes nearly bugged out his head, “I- it’s little Miss Hale!” 

“Little Princess?” Cora sighed, relieved beyond belief. She pushed the manager away from the door and gathered the pup in her arms, “Oh my goodness, don’t you ever scare Auntie like that again!” 

All the staff in the room had the sinking feeling that they had only narrowly escaped certain death. 

Derek walked forward and plucked his daughter right out of his sister’s grasp. She pouted up at him, sad at having her princess stolen after only just getting her back. The pup struggled in her father’s grasp, pointing at the door frantically. She was obviously trying to lead him somewhere. He sniffed her lightly, picking up a strong stench of alcohol and then something lighter, sweet and earthy like crushed pine needles- a distantly familiar omega, someone Derek felt he might’ve met in a dream. He searched his daughter’s eyes, “What happened?” 

Seeing that her father wasn’t moving, the pup began frantically tapping his shoulders to command his attention. With her other hand, she pointed at the door and twisting around, determined to leave by herself if the alpha would not listen. After a moment, Derek promptly followed each direction the pup pointed until he was faced with a wooden door. Princess then twisted and turned violently until Derek sat her down on her own two feet in front of the door. The little pup began banging on the door with all her strength, letting out distressed whimpers as she did. Neither of them looked back to notice Cora and the bar staff ambling after them, holding up Derek’s phone the whole time so Laura could see everything through video chat. 

“Princess Melody, what’s going on?” Cora called out, too exhausted to try and piece things together herself, “What’s so important in there?” 

Derek turned to the owner, face devoid of any expression. The man shook in his boots as he listened to Derek’s order, “Open the door.”

"Yes, of course!" the man bit out. He turned quickly to scold the manager at his side, who seemed extremely anxious, "Well? You have all the keys to this place! Open the door!" 

"Um," the manager shrunk under the combined gazes of the Hale siblings and her boss. She was hesitant- that omega, Stiles, was still locked in that room and Ms. Blake paid her handsomely a while ago to make sure that the boy didn't leave until _Distant Heaven_ 's auditions were over tomorrow! 

However, with all three Hale siblings staring her down (albeit one was through the phone) as well as her boss waiting impatiently, her livelihood was on the line. How could she refuse? The manager could only tremble as she pulled out the keys and opened the storeroom. 

Once the door was opened, a young man could be seen lying sprawled on the floor. 

The bar owner's face twisted in an ugly mask of confusion and anger, "What the- why is there an omega in here?" 

"I- I don't kn-know! No one was in here when I last checked!" The manager stuttered, struggling to suppress her guilt as she explained. 

Cora growled shoved past the two, "Whatever! Somebody just call an ambulance, it looks like he's hurt!" 

Just as she and a few more proactive members of the staff got close to the omega's body, Little Princess threw herself on top of Stiles. Her face held a twisted, snarl, almost as menacing as her father's, and she snapped at everyone who dared to get close. 

" Mr. Hale-" the owner started. Sweat beaded on his neck. He had absolutely no idea what was happening in his own bar. 

Derek's gaze swept across the trembling manager trying to make herself shrink into the wall, then across the fallen ladder, then the small window that could only open just enough for a child to slip through. He was able to surmise most of what happened. 

He waved his hand, signaling for everyone to back away, then walked over to the omega and his daughter, and he personally picked the young man up. He once again smelled that distinctive sweet pine-needle scent as he held the young omega closer to himself. It made the wolf inside him damn near purr in satisfaction. 

Seeing that her father had managed to carry the omega by himself, Little Princess didn't try to stop him, but she did huff and pout. Cora laughed and ruffled the pup's hair. The look on her face just said _'I could have carried him myself if I was just a bit bigger, Dad!'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so let me tell you- you're probably never going to get an update this quick ever again, but i just so happened to be almost done with the chapter anyway.
> 
> so, i'm gonna end up changing a few things in this chapter later on. i also didn't even notice that i stopped at the same point as C_o_D until i went back and checked, but well. here we are. its a good resting point.
> 
> Just to be clear, here's what we've got so far:
> 
> Stiles Argent (omega), raised by the Stilinskis  
> Allison Stilinski (omega), raised by the Argents  
> Scott McCall (alpha), raised in Beacon Hills  
> (that'll all get explained a bit more l8r)  
> Derek Hale (alpha, also Alpha, which we'll talk about l8r)  
> Cora Hale (alpha), Derek's left hand  
> Laura Hale (alpha), Derek's right hand  
> Melody Hale (alpha), Derek's daughter  
> Ms. Blake, Stiles's manager and also not v important
> 
> The Argents are a very powerful pack, but they're not a werewolf pack, just a family pack. The Hales are also a very powerful family, but-  
> I was gonna keep it a secret but I might as well tell you out right that they're a werewolf pack, too. Thing is, only some of them are werewolves. And why is Derek the Alpha when Laura was supposed to be? Because Derek has to fit the part of the male lead and I'll retcon it later, okay?
> 
> those Hale genes, man- very pretty, very alpha. Stiles is gonna have a hell of a lot to deal with, man, and i didn't even think of that lol.
> 
> if you've read the manhwa, i don't plan to make Cora the bumbling idiot that Lu Jingli is. I also don't wanna include any of that blatant sibling beating because although my brothers and i may fistfight regularly in real life, I can at least imagine a world where that's not the natural reaction, alright?
> 
> Also! One last thing but it's really important! If you're into the BnHA fandom and you like this fic, please go and check out Cone_of_Depression's work **Star Damaged**!  
> This work is pretty much a straight rip of that concept and that one also has better writing and more chapters! So there!
> 
> Please drop a Kudo and a comment! It'd make me feel real nice and serve as a bit of an incentive to write regularly.  
> I made a side blog for fic stuff- I'm @hungryliar on tumblr.  
> Or! if you're into whump, @multiwhump is my side whump-based tumblr.
> 
> Okay, love you, bye!
> 
> Update: just fixed a few spelling errors and some wording that i already hated before i posted the chapter. there's nothing new here to see.


	3. dead omega walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles wakes up (not dead, ha!) in a hospital bed instead of bleeding out in the back of a dingy bar.  
> Although, he might've hit his head way harder than he thought... Do concussions cause people to hallucinate insanely hot alphas making ridiculous proposals?  
> Wait! Oh, _shit- What happened to Babywulf?_

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 2:Dead Omega Walking_

chapter warnings/spoilers: none 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles woke to bright rays of morning light filtering through an open window. His head wasn't pounding as hard as it had been before and his back didn't ache nearly so much as he thought it would, having slept on that dirty concrete floor. Actually, it didn't feel like he was sleeping on concrete at all. He opened his eyes languidly and to his surprise, there was a man sitting in the chair beneath the window opposite him. 

Stiles couldn't help but stare. He had sharp, well-defined features and endlessly clear hazel eyes. His jet-black hair was so thick and soft-looking that Stiles ached to run his fingers through it, or at least the neatly trimmed heavy stubble lining his jaw. The man's ankles were crossed carelessly. He was wearing a tailored dark suit that accentuated the silhouette of his broad shoulders, thick arms, and slim waist, with the pearly buttons meticulously fastened almost all the way to his neck. Stiles picked up his scent- alpha, strong and crackling bonfire warm. Something about it made Stiles nostalgic. 

After a moment, the alpha's eyes flitted up to meet his gaze. Stiles found himself stunned by the pressure that stare put on him, unable to move over even look away. The omega damn near felt like a piece of meat. 

"Um," Stiles began, thinking without even registering the words coming from his mouth, "Hi. I'm Stiles. Who are are you? Where am I? I fell asleep in some bar my manager locked me in but I'm obviously not there right now and I don't remember walking here- I wouldn't have driven, I was so fuckin' drunk, man, you have no idea, so I- _Wait!_ " 

Stiles startled, unable to help releasing a brief wave of anxious pheromones. The alpha simply raised a thick brow at him. Stiles near fell over himself trying to stumble out of the bed in his panic, " _Babywulf!_ Have you seen a little girl- she's about four or five, pretty small, curly black hair and big, _absolutely adorable_ hazel eyes? She doesn't really talk- or, at least not to me, I guess. That happens sometimes. Anyway, have you seen her? She was locked in the bar with me and I'm really worried something might have happened to her. Sir? Are you listening? Have you se-" 

The alpha held a hand out to Stiles in a 'stop' motion. Stiles froze in his tracks. The man's voice was gruff and rumbled through Stiles's chest like thunder, "Lay back down. You mean Melody?" 

Stiles perked up, attentive, "Melody? Is that her name?" 

The alpha nodded. He jerked his head to the left and Stiles followed his gaze to another chair where the same pup from before lay curled up on a cot with an IV attached to her arm. Her cheeks seemed to be a healthy pink now instead of how hot and red her face was last night. Stiles deflated, obviously relieved. He was terrified that after the child escaped out the skylight, she would have collapsed outside or in the bar or something, or that some terrible person would snatch her away while she was fevered and delirious. As he lay on the ground after having fallen, Stiles regretted not being able to do anything more or at least trying to squeeze himself through harder to see her off and make sure she made it to safety. 

"So you're..." Stiles trailed off, looking from the alpha to the pup in the cot. Her golden skin contrasted against the stark white hospital sheets. She and the alpha before him really did look alike, with their dark hair and high cheeks. They even smelled alike, warm yet crisp in a way that inexplicably soothed the omega. 

"Her father, yes," the alpha replied drily. 

Stiles blushed, "R-right." 

He felt stupid for even asking. He frowned, remembering his thoughts before passing out, "Hey, what kind of parent are you, losing your pup in a-" 

"Oh! Prince Charming is awake! How're ya doing?" A girl about his age suddenly walked in the room. She had long, chestnut brown hair and dark eyes, but she obviously shared some traits with Babywullf and her father- the high cheeks, sharp nose, and strong alpha presence to name a few. She looked down at the phone in her hand and then held it up so he could see, "Laura, say hi! I'm Little Princess's aunt. This is- well, Laura is also Princess's aunt, but I'm the younger, cooler one." 

"Don't mess with the pup, Cora," the woman on the phone smiled apologetically at him. She looked just like the other woman- Cora?- but with darker hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her blood-red lipstick gave her the aura of an unstoppable femme fatale, whereas Cora looked just like she proclaimed- younger, cooler, or at least more carefree. He gave them back a nervous smile, confused as all hell. Laura took pity on him and sighed, "Sorry about them. I know this is probably a lot. We just wanted to thank you for helping our Little Princess Melody." 

Something about the two women sparked a flame of recognition in Stiles's mind, but he couldn't put his finger on it until Laura stopped speaking, "You... Laura and Cora- Oh my goodness, you're Cora _Hale!_ And you're _Laura Hale!_!" 

Stiles had to stop himself from hyperventilating. 

The two female alphas of Hale Corporation were insanely well known and respected. Laura Hale, the eldest child, was a well-accomplished and frankly intimidating businesswoman, praised for her philanthropy and political activism. No one knew why she wasn't the current head of Hale Corporation, but they all assumed it was because she was happy enough doing what she loved now. 

Cora Hale was the owner of one of Hale Corporations newer forays- she owned Triskelion Entertainment and appeared more often in newspapers and magazines than most actresses or singers. She had a lackadaisical and somewhat amorous personality and had always managed to be in the right place at the right time to turn everything she touched to gold. In the entertainment circle, everything Cora did set trends effortlessly. 

As much as Stiles paid attention to the entertainment scene (it was his livelihood after all), he couldn't mistake Cora Hale's face for anyone else. 

But if these two women were the Hale family's female alphas, then that meant- 

Stiles stiffened. The stern man was Babywulf's father, and Cora Hale was the pup's aunt, so... 

That made this statue of a man _Derek motherfucking Hale_ , current standing CEO of Hale Corporation in its entirety. He was an extremely private person- there were barely more than a handful of pictures of the man online- and not much was known about him except that he'd turned the already well-off Hale Corporation into a wildly successful international enterprise almost immediately after getting his hands on it. 

That, and he had one child- _a daughter born out of wedlock_. 

How would Stiles have guessed that the pup he helped would be the mysterious Melody Hale, the closest a child could get to being a literal princess without having royal blood? Every strand of hair on that pup's head was worth Stiles's own weight in gold. _Fuck._

Derek searched Stiles's face earnestly, as if he were trying to gauge if the omega's surprise was real or not. The sisters remained silent, also judging the situation from their own ends. The siblings all nodded to themselves, almost creepily simultaneously, Stiles noticed. Derek spoke first, after the siblings' moment of deliberation, "What can I do for you?" 

Stiles's brow furrowed in confusion, "Um... what?" 

"What he means is," Laura started, voice muffled through the phone, "We are very, very grateful to you for helping Little Melody out. We'd like to repay you in some way!" 

Cora nodded fervently, smile bright and toothy. 

Hearing this, the gears in Stiles's head began spinning haltingly. Damn it, it was too early in the morning for nonsense like this. He had to tread carefully with elite packs like this, "I, um- There's really no need to thank me. I guess I saved Babywulf, be she also saved me. If she hadn't found help, I'd still be locked in that room right now. So, we're even, okay?" 

How could Stiles bear to claim a reward for doing the right thing? He was lucky enough the Hales didn't blame him for getting Babywulf trapped in the room in the first place- it probably wasn't even locked before Blake had carelessly thrown him in there and the pup would've left herself if she wasn't so afraid of the dark. Hell, forget that- someone else would've probably suspected Stiles of orchestrating the whole affair. They still might, with the piercing way Derek was looking at him right now. 

To avoid any tricky situations later on, it was best if Stiles had no further relations with these people. 

He had thought there was no issue with his answer, but Derek's expression remained unpleased and he let out a wave of slightly annoyed pheromones. Stiles clammed up immediately. 

_What did I do wrong this time?_ Stiles thought to himself. _Fuck, why are alphas like this always so scary?_

"Ugh," Cora huffed. She couldn't bear to see such a pretty omega overwhelmed with fright. She walked over to Derek and nudged him with her elbow, "Derek, you're doing that thing with your eyebrows again. Stop it. You'll give the poor omega a heart attack. He probably thinks we're plotting on him or something." 

Laura spoke up from the phone and Stiles knew she must have been exasperated, even if he couldn't see her, "Our brother doesn't exactly like owing others. Just ask for something- anything! No need to be polite." 

Stiles huffed. _So they were gonna force this on him no matter what, huh?_

The corner of his mouth twitched, "Look, I'm really not trying to be polite. You people don't owe me anything. If you don't believe me, you can go back and check the security tapes-" 

"No need," Derek cut him off tersely. His eyebrow twitched, revealing his growing impatience. 

Cora spoke up again, "Yeah, we already checked the surveillance. Little Princess ran into that room on her own. As for you, the bar's manager already admitted to knowingly locking you in there, so it's not like we're suspicious of your intentions. Since you saved our Little Princess, please, just ask for something!" 

In his frustration at ending up right where they'd started, Stiles didn't even think about the words coming out his mouth. He just spoke the first thing he thought this family would agree to, "I mean... You could toss me a few bucks, I guess, but-" 

Derek once again cut Stiles off with a firm scowl. He didn't understand, though. Stiles thought that all rich people liked tying up all their loose ends with money, so the Hales should be no different, right? Money should have been an appropriate request. 

Cora, his begrudging translator, fiddled with her sleeves as she explained, "That's... not gonna work. Derek doesn't do things that way. He thinks it would be insulting." 

Stiles threw up his hands. _Whatever!_

The Hale pack simply held too high a status for Stiles to just leave without complying with their wishes, lest he offend them- which could quite literally ruin his life. He stewed in his frustration. Didn't they know that Stiles had had a terrible night and couldn't be bothered to come up with an appropriate request at the moment? Just as they circled back around to the beginning of their stalemate again, Derek Hale spoke up- 

"Marry me." 

Stiles blinked once. Then twice. Then he let out a bewildered noise somewhere between a cough and a laugh, choking on his own words, "Excuse me, _what?_ " 

Stiles looked pleadingly to Cora, hopefully for another Hale brand translation. Cora's eyes were wide and from her furtive glances at her phone, Laura was probably just as shocked. She met Stiles's gaze and could only shrug helplessly, "Sorry, man. I don't even- Derek, what?" 

"I..." Stiles trailed off, beyond dazed. He had an odd thought, and once again couldn't stop the words leaving his mouth before thinking about if they were wise to say or not, "So, like- you're not willing to repay me with money, but your body is a perfectly acceptable substitute? Okay, Mr. Hale. Hey, um, I think I really might be hallucinating. I know I said that earlier- or did I? Well, I'm saying it now. Point is, I think that fall really messed me up in the head because this is all reading like some weird fever dream. Or a concussion dream. Whatever." 

Derek's lip quirked up in a pale shadow of a smirk. Stiles didn't know how his forehead didn't cramp what with how often the alpha moved those eyebrows around so expressively. He seemed annoyed and bemused now, "You talk too much. Yes." 

"Yeah, a lot of people say that. Well- wait, hold up," Stiles's tilted his head, trying to process the alpha's words, "Did you say yes? I don't think you did. Is there a nurse around? Or a doctor? I think I'd like a doctor now- hallucinations are no laughing matter, you know. I could be bleeding internally and none of us would know it. I'd just drop dead in front of all four of you. Well, two of you. Babywulf is sleeping and I guess it'd just be on your phone, huh, Ms. Hale? Um, Ms. Laura Hale." 

Cora snorted, doubling over trying to stifle her laughter, "Oh my _fucking goodness_! Both of you are a handful! And Little Princess! All of you!" 

Laura's sigh crackled over the speakerphone. She sounded like she wanted to wash her hands of the whole situation, "I think I'm gonna see a doctor right after you, omega. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm the only sane person in the world. Cora, can you take care of the rest of this? I'm leaving." 

"Hey, wait!" the younger alpha began, but a short beep let them know that Laura had cut the call off on her end. Cora snarled, "Bitch." 

Stiles still stared blankly at Derek Hale, barely even seeing him. He was trapped in his own thoughts. 

If this were some other handsome nouveau rich alpha, Stiles would have probably considered the offer. Of course, no one else would have meant marriage the way he could tell Derek Hale did. It would have been just some lurid affair where the alpha would pamper Stiles for a short while before they got tired of each other's bodies and parted ways. 

If the alpha had just decided that Stiles was attractive and that he'd taken a liking to the omega, it would have been okay. Stiles wouldn't have refused him. _But no._ Derek Hale didn't say ' _play with me_ ', he said ' _marry me_ ' and the look on his face said he _meant it_. More importantly- 

"I thought you were into alphas," Stiles blurted unthinkingly. 

Cora absolutely _wheezed_. She was wiping tears of mirth out her eyes and Stiles feared her laughter would wake Babywulf from her slumber. His eyebrow twitched. _At least someone was enjoying all this_. 

A dark cloud passed over Derek's face and hung there. The room filled with menacing pheromones clashing with Cora's wisps of bright merriment and Stiles's fear-laced confusion. 

"If- pfffft, hold on!" Cora took a breath to steady herself, but it didn't work too well. Her cheeks were rosy and a mischevious glint danced in her eyes, "If Derek was into alphas, then- _pffft, fuck!_ Where did Little Princess come from?" 

Stiles rolled his eyes, "I mean, like- Love is love! There's nothing wrong with liking someone of the same gender! And it's obvious that she's his child, but she could've come from a surrogate pregnancy or something. Maybe she was a test tube baby, I don't know! It's the modern era!" 

"Okay," she continued, "Well then if he likes alphas, why would he want to marry you? Or, what was it you said? _Repay you with his body? Ahahahaha!_ " 

Stiles blushed, crossing his arms over his chest. He shrugged, "I don't know. To cover up his sexual orientation? It'd be pretty convenient. Although I gotta tell you, Mr. Hale, most of the world is pretty progressive these days, or is trying to be, so-" 

"Alright, alright," Cora waved her hands as if she could disperse Stiles's words right out of the air. She lifted an eyebrow at her brother and laid her hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "I don't think I can help you anymore, bro. This is what the world thinks of you. I told you you should make more appearances, but-" 

"I also read somewhere that the two of you were- you know, nevermind, I'm shutting up now," Stiles cursed his stupid big mouth. The two alphas glared at him, one obviously discomforted, the other seething with anger. He smiled awkwardly, trying to diffuse the situation, "Ahahahhh... Funny joke..." 

"Alright, I'm out of here," Cora shook her head, lips quirked in a frown, "You can handle this, Derek. I'm calling Laura." "

Take Princess with you," Derek didn't take his smoldering eyes off of Stiles as he spoke. He stood and unbuttoned his collar all the way. Stiles gulped audibly. 

"Uh," Cora hesitated, "Why?" 

Derek laid took the outer jacket of his suit off and folded it over the back of his chair. The sleeves of his button-up strained over his biceps. 

' _Fuck_ ', Stiles thought, ' _it's a crime to keep those hidden_ '. 

The alpha noticed Stiles's gaze and stood up a bit straighter, preening under the attention. His voice was a low rumble, "I've got a few things to prove to Mr. Argent." 

Stiles fell out of the hospital bed in his haste to scramble away from the alpha's hungry gaze. He glanced to the left, contemplating whether or not he'd be safer if he hid behind the Babywulf. He edged toward the pup slowly, eyes locked on Derek to catch any sudden moves. Stiles laughed incredulously at the situation he'd managed to end up in, close to ripping out his hair, "CEO Hale, I was just rambling nonsense I'd read in some rag I read forever ago. If you're mad, please take it up with the bozos who wrote it and not me, who is innocent and never asked for any of this! Also- you really, _really_ don't need to thank me for helping out Babywulf. If you truly want to know what I want, _the answer is nothing_! I'd love it if we dropped this matter entirely!" 

Stiles peered up at an electric clock in the corner of the room. How much time had he wasted here? He hissed, " _Fuck!_ Okay, this was very fun and all, but I've got an important audition coming up very soon and I have to go now- goodbye!" 

Stiles shuffled away from the two alphas. Only a few steps from the door and _blessed freedom_ , Derek Hale's voice rang out from behind him, " _Who said you could leave?_ " 

Stiles squeaked and clenched his eyes shut. 

' _This is it_ ,' he thought, ' _this is how I die. I thought it would've been one of those other times, but nope. This alpha is the devil himself!_ ' 

A dull huff and the sound of something crinkling interrupted his thoughts. He opened one of his eyes and turned to see Derek holding out a pen and paper in his direction. The omega stared at the paper in Derek's hands, then quizzically at Cora to provide another miraculous sibling translation. 

"Oh, yeah- can you write a note for Melody?" the woman answered, gesturing over to the heavily slumbering princess, "We're afraid she'll throw a fit when she wakes up and realizes you're not here. She was really worried about you, you know. Princess damn near broke that storeroom door down trying to get back to you!" 

Stiles had to tamp down on a fresh wave of affectionate pheromones when she finished speaking, "Y-yeah, of course." 

He took the pen and paper from Derek's hands and wrote a quick, heartfelt note for the Little Princess and handed it right back to the alpha. As soon as the note left his hands, Stiles scampered away from the Hales, exiting the room in a flurry of movement. Had they been in a cartoon, the boy would've left a Stiles-shaped dust cloud in his wake. 

If he was very fast and very lucky, perhaps the omega would make it to one of the last audition slots of the day. 

A shadow fell over Derek's eyes as he watched the omega run. Cora let out a low whistle. She'd seen that look on her brother right now before on lions stalking their prey on the Discovery Channel. She elbowed her brother awkwardly in the shoulder since he was still sitting down, "Damn, bro. Should I have told the omega to leave his number, too? Fuck, but it seems like you _really_ like him, don't you? He's a cutie!" 

She rubbed her jaw contemplatively, ignoring the dark glare he shot up at her, "I'd genuinely thought you weren't interested in sex at all. Trauma and all that. Or maybe you were just ace. Oh, but Mom and Dad'll be so happy to hear-" 

Derek elbowed her right back in her side and rolled his eyes. It was faint, but a light blush dusted his cheeks, "Knock it off!" 

Cora laughed and reached over to ruffle his hair just like she did Melody's so often. She didn't know he even could blush anymore! 

"Alright, big bro, alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Derek: marry me.  
> Stiles: ok boomer.
> 
> lol i don't think you're supposed to let concussed people sleep  
> next chapter is gonna be a bit shorter than the first few have been. actually, most of the chapters will probably be shorter than those first two.  
> i don't want them to drag on for very long, you feel?  
> let me know what you prefer, ig.
> 
> today's title is a riff on Dead Girl Walking, from the Heathers musical. I'll have to go back and name the songs for the other chapters.
> 
> find me @hungryliar or @multiwhump (if youre into that) on tumblr  
> okay love you, bye!
> 
> xoxo hungry


	4. So Look at Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad news: Stiles did not make it to auditions on time.  
> Good news: Stiles still got a part! Not the main part, but still a part!  
> More news: Stiles is a pretty good cook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's title comes from **Blue and Gold** by Mother Falcon
> 
> no content warnings for this chapter, but if you think something needs to be tagged, please let me know post haste :*

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 3: So Look at Me_

chapter warnings/spoilers: none 

. 

. 

. 

Just Stiles's luck, he'd only managed to escape in the dead middle of rush hour on top of already being late and only vaguely knowing where he was leaving from. He took a cab, willing to accept the dent in his pocket if it meant he might still make it. 

When Stiles did arrive at the studio, he was just in time to catch Blake and Allison grinning from ear to ear as they exited the building. A small crowd swarmed the two, offering well wishes and congratulations. Allison watched Stiles from afar, sweating as he jogged into the building. She thought of calling out to the boy, but they hadn't spoken civilly in so long after... 

She frowned, put all of those thoughts out of her mind, and turned to greet the crowd in front of her. _It wasn't important_. 

After a few gracious thanks and smiles, Blake led Allison into a Silverpoint company car and they left a trail of dust behind them. 

The studio door swung open just as Stiles reached it. One last actor and his manager chatted happily as they walked away. 

"Wait!" Stiles called out to them, panting, "Are the judges still there?" 

The pair sneered at him, continuing to walk away after barely having spared him a glance. The actor waved his hands loftily behind him, "You might as well go home, kid. They're packing up. You've just missed the last audition." 

"Okay, thanks!" Stiles shouted, continuing to move forward. If they were just packing up, then they were still in the building, and if they were still in the building, _he might still have a chance._ The lights were still lit onstage, so he ran as quick as he could up the short set of stairs to stand tall in the center. He could manage to see the backlit outline of five men and women talking amongst themselves, bags and papers gathered in their hands. It looked like he had only just managed to arrive before they really left. He coughed nervously and awkwardly bowed his head, not sure what else he could do to express how embarrassed and apologetic he felt, "Sorry I'm late!" 

The casting judges exchanged a few looks among themselves, obviously annoyed. Stiles held his breath. Nobody liked people who were late, he knew. These people probably considered themselves and their time very important. 

The judge in the middle stared at him blankly, "Auditions for the main protagonists are over. Why'd you even bother to come if you were going to get here so late? It's disrespectful." 

"Oh! Um!" Stiles blushed and straightened his back. He cursed inwardly. It looked like he wouldn't be getting his starring role just yet, but he could still get something! He took a deep breath to make sure his voice was steady, "I'm not here to audition for a main character's role." 

"Oh? You're not here to audition for Sir Canton's role?" One of the judges from the side asked. Stiles could faintly recognize her as the head scriptwriter, Jane Davis, "Then who are you auditioning for?" 

"I'd like to try out for one of your supporting characters- Rhys!" Though Stiles had wanted to get one of the lead roles, when he read through the script originally, he especially connected with the character Rhys. _Distant Heaven_ was a medieval-era fantasy adventure and the main characters were a daring night, Sir Canton, and the beautiful princess he served, but there was a deeply intertwined subplot about Rhys, a dark wizard on the enemy's side who wanted revenge against the kingdom who took everything from them. One could say Stiles could relate- if it weren't for all the dragons and princes and knights in shining armor. If he could manage to get Rhys's part, Stiles wouldn't consider it a downgrade from the main character at all, "Last I'd heard, the role was still open. I mean- is it?" 

The judge from before opened his mouth to speak, but Jane held out a hand to stop him. She squinted her eyes up at the young omega, taking in his stance and figure. The judges beside her remained quiet. When she had written Rhys's character arc, she hadn't specified the character's gender, looks, or even their general attitude and demeanor, but this boy... 

His dark hair curled lightly over his ears and a few strands fell in the way of his honeyed gold eyes, glinting wickedly. He stood tall, head tilted down and to the side as he looked up at them through his long eyelashes. Under the harsh glare of the stage lights, his freckles could almost be mistaken for small specks of dried blood scattered across his elegant cheeks. His lips were dusky pink, quirked into a determined and mischevious smirk. 

She could imagine this omega standing over a moonlit battlefield, looking down his nose at bodies that lie broken and bloodied before him and unsatisfied with even this amount of bloodshed. The boy was beautiful, in an ephemeral, forbidden sort of way. _He was perfect!_

She looked up at the judge behind her and nodded. The man raised his eyebrow. He could tell that the omega was exactly what the woman had imagined Rhys to be, just from the tenacious air about him. If she was serious, the panel of judges would be willing to give the boy a chance. They looked at each other and at the same time, settled back into the seats they had only just vacated. The lead director called out to Stiles, 

"Alright, kid. Do you remember Scene 3, Act 2, or do you want to borrow a script? The king has issued an order for Rhys to be captured and brought to the palace dead or alive." 

Stiles perked up, grinning brightly. He nodded back at them, "Yep!" 

"One more thing!" The scriptwriter called, "What's your name, kid?" 

"Ah- it's a mouthful, so I just go by Stiles." 

"Alright, _Stiles_ ," the director signaled for the rest of the judges to quiet down, "You've got ten minutes. Show us what you've got."

. 

. 

. 

"Little Princess, I'm begging you to stop! We're in a hospital!" Cora reached out to try and snatch her niece off the windowsill she was huddled on, but the little girl hissed at her and went right back to screaming. The doctors and nurses behind the two were at a loss. All of their efforts in persuading the child failed miserably, from bribing her with candy to threatening her with shots of light sedatives. 

Even Cora's friendly cajoling had been exhausted as the girl completely ignored her youngest aunt. Derek had been called back into the office after taking the morning off to try and thank Stiles, but it was starting to look like Cora was going to have to call him straight back to the hospital. She relented, pressing the speed dial button for Derek's personal phone. He, as always, answered after just one ring. 

"What happened?" He said, low voice curt. He could hear his daughter wailing in the background and held the phone away far away from his face in an effort to save his sensitive eardrums. 

Cora sighed, "I don't know. She woke up like this. It doesn't smell like she's in pain or anything and the doctors say she's technically fully recovered from the fever. I mean, I do _think_ I know what's going on, but you never know with Little Princess." 

There were a few seconds of silence on Derek's end before he spoke again, "Give me ten minutes." 

Then he hung up, leaving Cora and the hospital staff to wallow in misery by themselves. Little Princess let out a piercing shriek, obviously having grown tired of tormenting them with her crooning whines by now. Cora rubbed at her temples, trying to massage away her growing migraine. 

"You all can go," she directed the hospital staff, who looked at one another uncomfortably. The woman slumped down in a chair across the room and hoped she remembered to grab her earbuds on the way out the house today, "I'll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't break a window or her arm or something." 

The doctor shrugged and left first. For all his years at school, he definitely wasn't qualified to soothe a child throwing a tantrum. The nurses deliberated nervously for a few seconds longer before following his lead. University and staff training just couldn't teach parenthood. 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles tried to calm his erratic heartbeat. He had just finished performing two scenes for the panel of judges. In the first, Rhys discovered posters of himself wanted dead or alive by the royal family. He simmered in his rage and went to take out his frustrations on rowdy thugs looking for a fight in the nearest tavern. Instead of finding an outlet, he found the princess disguised and sneaking around. He delivered a short monologue while stalking across the stage, telling the princess he wouldn't kill her where she stood if she would deliver his challenge back to the king and the knighthood. 

In the next scene, he sang a short, enigmatic melody to cast a spell of strength and immunity over the opposing kingdom's army, turning them into shadow beasts that could escape in a cloud of buzzing flies at a moment's notice. He looked out over the group, teeth bared in a cruel, animalistic smile and held his final pose perfectly still, waiting for their judgment. He felt wild-eyed and frantic after having thrown himself so fully into the role, even if it were just for two scenes. 

The panel remained silent for a few moments longer than comfortable before the scriptwriter stood, her chair skidding loudly behind her. The other judges nodded and clapped lightly at first, then with confidence as they realized that all five of them had come to the same opinion. 

"You've got the part!" The scriptwriter gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up, still standing. The omega was even better than she thought he'd be. His late arrival had to be a miracle- they'd invited several people to audition for the part of Rhys and all of their performances were less than stellar. She tapped the assistant director on the shoulder, "Where's his file at? Russell, tell him he's got the part!" 

The director nodded amicably at Stiles as his assistant riffled through the various portfolios they'd been sent from actors who registered to audition, "I've got to say, that was genuinely impressive. Who’s been hiding you?" 

Stiles let out a breathy, incredulous laugh, "Th- thank you so much! Your compliments really mean a lot!" 

"We'll give send out results out by the end of the week." 

Stiles nodded, settling back down off his high. That was his cue to leave, "Alright. Thank you all very much for your time!" 

He walked calmly off of the stage, trying to hold in all of his frenetic energy at least until he could get inside a cab. 

The judging panel began muttering excitedly as he exited the room. _Had they all just watched the same performance? From an unassuming kid like that?_

The scriptwriter shoved the lead director's shoulder, annoyed. She huffed, "You didn't need to do that. All of us loved the performance! We don't need to deliberate over this!" 

"Yeah, she's right, Russ. I mean, unless anybody really still wanted to talk about it? But all of the others we auditioned were, ah..." 

"We're not going to find anyone better than him, guys, come on! Do we really want to call back Lawson after _that performance_?" 

The assistance director whistled low. He'd finally found Stiles's file, "Ah! I was wondering where I knew the kid from! He's good- I wonder why he's never had any good parts in a big picture. I didn't recognize him by the name he gave." 

"Oh, yeah!" Russell mused, "Why'd he give a fake name?" 

The assistant director simply passed the man Stiles's official portfolio with his legal name. The man's mouth twisted in an odd display of confusion. That was- yeah, he was right- that's a mouthful, "Understood. He's an Argent, though, and under Silverpoint. It's really surprising that we're only now finding out about him." 

"Alright, everybody. Raise your hand if we're hiring Stiles," Jane looked at the team around her. Everyone put their hands up immediately, not a trace of hesitance on their faces. One of them even raised both of his hands sheepishly. She raised an eyebrow at the director. 

He shrugged and put his hand down, "Alright, then. I'll have the calls sent out tonight. That was the last empty role, right? Looks like we're done here, folks!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's commented and kudo'd this fic so far! 118 kudos??? That’s insane!!!  
> And _ohmygoodness_ Cone_of_Depression gave us a shoutout on the latest update of Star Damaged! I am asFEKLDSFLSLKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK! How sweet!!!  
> Quick question- some of you may have noticed that a new character tag has been added. Is William a good name for Papa Hale?  
> I dunno. Have we as a fandom come up with a name for him yet? Like how we named the sheriff John before TW up and named him Noah in the last season? I dunno. If y'all think of a better name, do share.
> 
> Somewhere during writing the audition scene, I decided to make the most powerful people in the film industry women because that's how I roll, and then I realized that I could make the movie staff correspond with the Teen Wolf staff IRL, but I was unwilling to change up the genders again. So now, there's a universe out there where Jane Davis created Teen Wolf and in that universe, Scott is a competent werewolf, Allison doesn't die for character development, someone speaks up for Issac, Erica and Boyd don't die, and the whole pack gets therapy.  
> also! I read the first few chapters of the Full Marks, Hidden Marriage reboot. I'm not, uh... the _biggest_ fan of the new character designs... But! I do think that this new, more affectionate Lu Ting Xiao is precious and is exactly what I'm going for with Derek. I think that Ning Xi moving in with the Lus is a bit more reasonable, but that means a few of the best scenes in the earlier part of the story got cut out. :( But Lu Jingli is cute and nice :)  
> 


	5. wash your face and hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles sighed, leaning over the boiling pot on the stove to let clouds of hot steam billow over his face.  
> He'd gotten so used to cooking for large packs in the past, but now it was just him in this dingy little apartment. He thought he'd scaled back the proportions enough from the usual amount when he went grocery shopping, but he'd still ended up with enough food to feed three people. Oh well. He'd have lunch for the next few days at least.  
> As he turned, his hand accidentally brushed his hand over some silverware and knocked it off the counter. It clattered noisily on the floor. Whoops.  
> Hey, what was that old superstition about dropping a fork?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double upload!
> 
> My secret agenda for this fic is to introduce you all to good music you might not otherwise be inclined to look up, because the title chapters are only ever tangentially related to the chapter's contents. That is all to say that today's chapter title is a lyric from **Superstition** by Stevie Wonder

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 4- Wash Your Face and Hands_

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"Derek, ohmy _goooooooooooosh_ ," Cora let out a long, relieved groan when her brother entered the hospital room and closed the door back behind himself. She slumped further in her chair and covered her ears with the palms of her hands, but it didn't do her any good. Even if she weren't a werewolf, Little Princess's piercing wails would still give her the most unmanageable headache. 

Derek grunted in answer. His eyebrows were furrowed and he bit back a wince as his daughter screamed louder at the sight of him. He huffed, "What happened?" 

"What do you mean what happened?" Cora cried, frustrated out of her mind, "Princess woke up after you left and started looking for that omega! I told her he was already gone and that she should sit down and wait for the doctors to check in on her like the good little angel _I know she can be_! Soon as I finished talking, she flew into a rampage! I told you we should've all just stayed here until she woke up on her own!" 

She was more flustered than usual by Little Princess's uncharacteristic outburst. The pup hadn't thrown a fit like this or showed any especially extreme emotions in such a long time. 

Derek looked blankly at his younger sister. He blinked, "Is that what you said? Word for word?" 

"Wha-" Cora scoffed, "I don't even remember! Why?" 

Derek sighed and stalked over to the pup sat hunched and whimpering on the windowsill. She scooted herself back until she hit the glass, eyeing the large man warily. She hiccuped weakly. Her throat was obviously growing tired, but she was too stubborn to stop before she got what she wanted, even for her own father. Just a few steps away, he stared right into her eyes and spoke calm and slow. 

"When your Aunt Cora said that the omega was gone, she only meant that. He left. The doctors said he was okay and he had to leave for work, so that's what he did. This isn't like the time your grandmother left and never came back. He's not dead." 

"You're joking. Is she serious?" Cora blurted. She gaped wide-eyed at the pup, who had stopped her crying and instead deigned to remain sat in the windowsill and pout menacingly at the two adults. She was floored that the kid could jump to such a dramatic conclusion from the simple statement ' _he's gone_.' 

She couldn't blame the pup all that much, though. The last she'd seen of the omega, he had just fallen a long way down after helping Princess escape from what must've been a very scary night for the two of them. 

Fuck, Cora still never wanted pups of her own. 

The floor pediatrician knocked lightly on the door before peeking his head in. She saw the father and daughter duo locked in a standoff, she looked questioningly to the younger Hale sibling, "Uh. Is everything okay now? Can we come in to finish checking her over?" 

Cora shrugged back at the beta helplessly, "Yeah, you all can come in, but I don't think they're done yet." 

"Oh. Alright." The doctor and two nurses shuffled in awkwardly and stood off to the side, watching the family. 

Little Princess crossed her arms over her chest and met her father's gaze boldly. The large alpha didn't even twitch under the pup's wilting expression. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket without looking and unfolded it. He lifted a brow, "He left this for you. Would you like to read it?" 

The girl's eyes lit up like a switch was flipped inside of her. She uncurled herself from her protective crouch and held her arms open wide in the universal signal for ' _up, please!'_

The medical team twitched. The whole hospital's staff had gone through fifteen minutes of hell that could have been solved with a simple piece of paper? None of the other children in the ward were nearly this troublesome. Although, none of the other children in the ward was the sole heir to the Hale dynasty, so they had to tread extra carefully. 

Derek carried his daughter to the sofa and sat down, then signaled the team to come over as he handed the note to the pup. She accepted it eagerly, doing her best not to crinkle the edges in her grip. She had learned how to read almost preternaturally fast and read the note with a speed that would astound most adults. 

_Thanks for saving me, Babywulf! You must be good luck magic! <3 -Stiles_

The girl's face broke out in a wide, breathtaking smile as she read the note, treasuring the little heart Stiles doodled at the end like others would a kiss. Her cheeks lit up in a faint pink blush and she held the note close to her face to catch light wisps of Stiles's sugared pine needle scent. The nurses even stopped to stare as they prepared a sterile thermometer for the child. She really was too cute to handle when she wasn't raising hell. 

"Oh goodness, Princess!" Cora near teared up, "Auntie missed your beautiful smile! What did that omega even write to get you to look like that?" 

She started to come closer, but the child pulled the note close to her chest to hide it away. 

_Stiles had written it especially for Little Princess, damn it!_

Cora laughed at her niece. She had already seen the note, what with her eyes being so sharp. She didn't understand, though. It seemed a little generic, but it made Princess shine like a sun. This Stiles must be a special one! 

Derek looked down at his daughter fondly, happy that her mood had improved so much. She even complied with all the doctor's directions and accepted a lollipop when the beta finished. They sent the Hales off with a clean bill of health for their youngest member. 

Derek let Cora and Melody walk on ahead of him as he called in to reschedule all of his work for the day so he could at least eat dinner with his daughter tonight. 

. 

. 

. 

Later on that evening, one could cut the tension at the main Hale residence with a knife. The dining room was frozen in an almost comical scene- one adult and one child sat across from each other across a dining table set with two steaming plates. Father and daughter stared hostilely at each other. 

Derek Hale glowered at the untouched plate before his daughter, then turned his gaze back up to her, "Eat. Your. Food." 

Melody Hale did not fold under the pressure. She lifted her hand up to her mouth and pantomimed zipping her lips shut in a stern pout. 

"You're being ridiculous," A vein in Derek's neck throbbed. He had thought that Little Princess's tantrum had been dealt with back at the hospital, but his pup could be even more obstinate than him if she wanted to, "Do you really think a hunger strike is going to work on me?" 

The pup continued to glare balefully up at her father, unmoving. She wouldn't listen to anything the fuming alpha had to say. Derek felt another migraine coming on. 

The two faced off against each other for a full hour, silent and still as the food in front of them grew cold and stale from sitting in the open untouched. 

Derek held in an exhausted groan. He didn't remember being this difficult when he was a child. The alpha pulled his phone out his pocket and texted Cora under the table, keeping his eyes locked on Little Princess. **{Send me Stiles Argent's address.}**

The hunger strike did end up working. Sue the man. It was late, he was tired, he still had work to do, and the child had to eat. She had only just recovered from a fever and it would be terrible for her to end up in the hospital again. The elder Hales would start thinking he was a bad parent. 

Cora Hale was an extremely efficient woman- she sent the omega's exact address back to her brother within a minute. Derek glanced down at the phone and stood, ignoring the following slew of texts that likely consisted of gossip and intrusive questions. Little Princess slipped out of her chair and pushed it back in behind her before toddling off to grab her jacket. As soon as she saw the look on Derek's face, she knew what was happening without asking. The pup failed at trying to keep her smile hidden. _Yes! Little Princess would get to see Stiles again!_

Derek's eyebrow twitched at the satisfied expression on his daughter's face. He slung his own jacket over his arm and grabbed his keys. The little girl was waiting patiently at the door for him. Before he opened it, he picked her up and lifted her so they were eye to eye. 

"This isn't going to happen again, you hear me?" 

Little Princess nodded fervently and pointed eagerly at the door. _Come on, Dad, let's go!_

. 

. 

. 

Almost immediately after Stiles got home and took a shower to rinse away all the stress sweat and dust from the previous night, he received his call back from _Distant Heaven_ 's casting director. He'd really managed to get the part of Rhys! Apparently, the casting judges were overwhelmed by his charismatic audition and accepted him right away. Before the casting director could hang up, Stiles made sure to ply him with ardent thanks and a promise to do his best when filming started. He'd fretted endlessly after he left the studio. Even though he knew Jane Davis liked his performance, he didn't know if that was enough to convince all the other judges, especially after he had barged in so late. He honestly had given up hope on getting in a major production any time soon. 

Stiles decided that he wanted to cook himself a small celebratory dinner like he used to do whenever any of his pack members shared any spectacular news. He'd learned to be an amazing cook back when he was dating Scott. His skills only improved after... after the Argents sent him overseas and large groups of friends would pile into his small flat and demand a feast fit for kings after finals season was over. 

Stiles sighed, leaning over a boiling pot on the stove to let clouds of hot steam billow over his face. He'd bought beer and ingredients for a savory pot roast and pineapple turnover cake from scratch. The omega had got so used to cooking for large packs in the past, but now it was just him in this shitty studio apartment. He thought he'd scaled back the proportions enough from the usual amount when he went grocery shopping, but he'd still ended up with enough food to feed three people. Oh well. He'd have lunch for the next few days at least. 

As he turned, his hand accidentally brushed his hand over some silverware and knocked it off the counter. It clattered noisily on the floor. _Whoops._

His lip quirked in a funny smile. _What was that old wives tale about dropping a fork?_

Still, having all this food alone... was sort of pathetic. He felt like one of those omegas on TV that would sit in front of a TV eating ice cream out of the carton after a bad breakup in a rom-com. People like him were always the butt of society's cruelest jokes. After all this time, though, the loneliness almost didn't bother him. Almost. 

A short series of rhythmic knocks at the door broke Stiles from his musing. Stiles paused, confused. No one ever visited him. Maybe he'd received a package? But he didn't remember ordering anything. He sat his oven mitts and called out haltingly, "Just a moment! I... I'll be right there!" 

Stiles grabbed the bat he kept behind the couch and peered out the peephole. Derek Hale's form holding Babywulf up in his arms was distorted by the peephole's fisheye lens. The pup was holding a slightly damaged bouquet of white daisies and had a bright, eager smile on her face. Derek held a bottle of wine and a convenience store bag in the hand that wasn't supporting his daughter. Stiles dropped the bat like a piece of hot iron. _What?_

Stiles stumbled back from the door and hastily undid all three locks. He opened the door and greeted the two warmly, hoping he didn't appear as befuddled as he felt, "Uh- um- Mr. CEO Hale. Baby CEO Hale! It's so good to see you two! And a little bit weird. Is... is there anything I can help you with?" 

Derek looked at him blankly. "Yes." 

“Ummm. Yes....?" 

"We came to check up on you," the large alpha nodded, "You fell a very long way last night." 

The pup in his arms nodded, lips pressed in a severe little line. She couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds, though, quickly smiling and presenting the flowers to the omega eagerly. 

"Oh!" Stiles cradled the flowers in his arms like they were a valuable treasure, "That's very nice of you both! Erm, come on in! Please excuse the mess- I wasn't expecting anyone over, you see." 

"Alright." Derek nodded and bent slightly to let his daughter down. Stiles hastily shoved a pile of clothes under his bed and cleared some junk mail off of the coffee table. 

"Sit anywhere you want. Would you like anything to drink? I can fix some coffee or tea? I have, uhhhh, milk?" Stiles walked a few steps to the kitchen and opened up the fridge. He checked the date on the milk. Fuck, Stiles had forgotten to pick up more milk. He had some juice he kept for vodka mixes still, "Welp. That's a nix on the milk. How about cranberry juice?" 

He looked over his shoulder at the duo, who'd decided to sit on the bar stools Stiles had set up at the kitchen's island counter behind him. There wasn't exactly space for a dining table, so he worked with what he had. The two looked wildly out of place against the drab backdrop of Stiles's apartment. Derek was still dressed in a luxurious black, single-breasted suit from work. Babywulf looked just as pristine in a starched white child-sized button-up and slacks. The omega was almost afraid they'd stain their clothes slumming it with him. 

"I'll take a coffee. Black. Cranberry juice is fine for her." Derek nodded. His pup mimicked the action, hands folded over her lap and everything. The two had the same unimpressed expression on their faces. 

"Okay..." Stiles began to sweat. He popped an instant one cup pod into the coffee machine and reached into the cabinets to find three clean mugs. _Goodness, if they were just gonna sit here and judge him, why'd they even come?_ A low hiss came from behind him as the pop he'd been stirring before boiled over. The smell of steamed vegetables began wafting through the small space. Stiles hurriedly turned the heat off and checked the oven to see how his pot roast was doing. He looked up at the two and asked casually, "Would.... you two like to stay for dinner? I made a beef pot roast and some cake." 

Derek checked his phone, "Alright." 

Babywulf nodded. 

Stiles gave them a strained smile and turned back to remove the roast from the oven. He reset the timer. They had probably only agreed to stay out of courtesy, the same reason he'd offered, but the two were probably accustomed to much more extravagant delicacies than his meager offerings. He set a steaming mug before Derek and a chilly mug of juice in front of Babywulf. 

"Thank you. Would you like me to set the table?" Derek was staring at him with a startling intensity. One quick glance confirmed that the pup had focused all of her attention on him as well. Stiles's cheeks pinkened. "Y-yeah, that'd be great. Plates are in the cabinet to the left. Silverware is in the drawer right beneath it. Thanks!" 

The alpha nodded, expression still stern as ever. As Stiles checked his cake, Derek set three large dinner plates on the island and even began scooping equal amounts of roasted potatoes, carrots, celery, and gravy from the edges of the pot roast into the plates without the omega noticing. He tapped the boy's shoulder, "Have you got a larger knife?" 

"Oh!" Stiles hadn't expected the alpha to be done so quickly. He handed the alpha a carving knife from a block and sat across from Babywulf. It was a bit awkward but nice to be served like this in his own home. "Thank you!" 

When Derek finished fixing the plates, he nodded at his daughter and Stiles. "Thank you for dinner." 

"You're very welcome!" Stiles stuffed a roasted baby carrot in his mouth to keep himself from saying anything else and the two Hales picked up their forks, following his example. 

For a few minutes, the apartment was silent except for the sound of forks scraping against plates. Suddenly, Derek took the initiative to speak, "How did your audition go?" 

Stiles paused before answering. He looked to the left bashfully, "Actually, it went surprisingly well, so I decided to treat myself with an old family recipe and cake tonight!" 

Derek raised his glass, "Congratulations." 

Stiles blinked in surprise and clinked his mug of hastily brewed tea against Derek's. _Who would imagine that Derek Hale himself would be the first person to congratulate Stiles?_

"Thank you!" He smiled at the alpha warmly and lifted the mug to his lips to drink. For a moment, it almost seemed like the alpha's gaze softened, too. Stiles blushed and flicked his eyes away. He looked to the pup, who was watching the adults intently. She picked her mug up in both of her little hands, careful not to spill the red liquid. Stiles chuckled, "I wouldn't have even been able to make it to the audition if it weren't for Little Miss Hale here saving me. Cheers to you, Babywulf!" 

He clinked his mug against hers. She blinked at him, then stared grimly at her own mug. After a moment, she lifted the mug to her lips and downed the cranberry juice all in one go, not letting a single drop spill from her lips. 

Stiles couldn't help but laugh at her serious demeanor. Who was teaching this pup to knock drinks out like a champ? The three of them managed to finish off the whole pot roast in the span of a half-hour, just in enough time for the cake to finish. The oven timer beeped twice, loudly. 

"Mm, I'm stuffed. Would you two like a slice of cake before you leave-" A frightening crash of thunder interrupted Stiles mid-sentence. He looked out the window to see that a torrential downpour had begun outside, nearly out of nowhere, and fierce winds whipped across the window. 

"The forecast predicted dangerous weather that will last through the night," Derek said solemnly. 

"Right," Stiles sighed. He hadn't even checked. "It probably wouldn't be safe for you two to drive home then, would it? Maybe you could wait it out here?" 

Stiles cursed himself the moment the words left his mouth. It was just an offer out of courtesy. Maybe he'd ignore it. There was no way Derek Hale would- 

"Alright." 

Babywulf nodded. 

Stiles took in a deep breath. These two were going to drive the omega crazy. The looks on their faces hadn't changed, but why did it feel like they were just waiting for Stiles to extend the offer? 

The apartment that Silverpoint Entertainment arranged for Stiles wasn't very big. It was only a small studio with only two doors: one leading to the communal hallway and the other leading to a small bathroom. His bed was pushed into the corner farthest from the kitchen and bathroom and his worn-down couch sat not too far away, facing away. 

"Right," Stiles sighed once again. "You and your daughter can take the bed. I'll take the couch. Let me find some clean sheets and set everything up." 

"No." Derek shook his head and shared a look with his daughter. His tone was firm and allowed for no dissent. "You and Little Princess can take the bed. I'll take the couch." 

Babywulf nodded up at Stiles. Her eyes gleamed although the rest of her face was set in a serious expression. _Listen to Dad_. 

Stiles felt dizzy. Not only had he fed CEO Hale and his daughter a cheap country meal, but now it felt like he was forcing the man to sleep on the couch in his dingy studio apartment. Honestly, if the alpha had showed up alone, Stiles wouldn't have even considered letting him stay- damn the bad weather. He still remembered the strange incident from that morning. 

_Marry me._ Stiles's cheeks were hot just thinking about it. 

The omega resigned himself to his fate, shoulders sagging. Why had this day been more stressful than his whole month combined? He walked over to a rickety portable closet and dresser system he had set-up. "Let me see if I can find something for you both to change into." After a moment, Stiles returned to them with an oversized set of jogging pants and a large tee he'd stolen from a friend for Derek and a child-sized fox onesie he'd ended up with after a white elephant Christmas party. 

"You can change in the bathroom over there," Stiles pointed. The alpha nodded and accepted the clothes. He took his daughter's hand to help her change her outfit. 

Stiles sagged against the wall when the bathroom door closed behind them, " _Hooooo, boy._ " 

It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Released chapter 4 early because chapter 3 was very short and it’s ‘be back for the holidays’ season and if any one of you are like me, you could probably use a bit of a distraction from the impending doom of having to stay in your parents’ house for a week. Or, even worse, other relatives are visiting and you’re all crammed in the same place.  
> Don’t let them get you too down, kid. I believe in you! You’ll make it!
> 
> Also, for the people who commented and left kudos on chapter 3 in the first few hours it was up: You have my everlasting love and affection! Please accept my virtual hugs and kisses! (You don't have to if you don’t want to it’s jut an offer)  
> I think I really like next chapter. I’ll release that one in a few days, though.  
> Okay love you bye :*


	6. loo li lai lay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles and Derek have a conversation in the dead of night.  
> Little Princess Melody sleeps peacefully.

#### Living Well

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion  


_Chapter 5- loo li lai lay_

. 

. 

. 

By the time Derek and Babywulf finished dressing themselves, Stiles had found some extra quilts and pillows to make Derek's night on the couch a bit more comfortable. There wasn't much he could do about the length, though. The alpha was about a head and a half taller than Stiles. Maybe if he found a stool and set it near the end of the couch? 

The omega was startled out of his thoughts when he saw Babywulf climb up into the bed all by herself and wait patiently for him to join her. She was absolutely precious dressed in the childish fox eared onesie with her damp hair clinging to the faux fur on the hood. He jumped lightly and swiveled his head to face Derek, "Oh! I completely forgot to give you guys toothbrushes and towels to wash up! Sorry about that!" 

"No need. We found them fine." Derek assured the boy. 

"That's good, then, " he sighed, relieved. "Alright, I'm gonna go wash up and get dressed too now. Just knock if you need anything." 

"Okay." The alpha was already tapping away at something important on his phone. 

When Stiles exited the bathroom, his cheeks were lightly flushed from the hot water. Derek watched a droplet trail from the omega's cheek all the way down, down his chin and his long neck to be swallowed by the loose collar of his shirt. He swallowed and looked back at his phone quickly before the omega could notice him staring. It wasn't even like the boy was dressed provocatively. 

He padded straight over to the bed and Little Princess, who blinked expectantly up at him, not appearing sleepy in the slightest. Before flicking off the light, he asked the two, "Ah- ready for bed?" 

He got two terse nods in reply. The omega held back an eye roll and flicked the lights off. When he crawled into the bed, Little Princess sat up to face him. He quirked an eyebrow at her and whispered, "What's up, sweetheart? Still not sleepy?" 

"She probably wants a story," Derek called from his perch on the couch. One could hear everything going on in the tiny apartment. Before Stiles could even ask, Derek continued, "Princess hates when I try to tell them. She says I'm bad at it." 

"Oh, well," The omega slumped back against the headboard. The pup followed him, leaning up against his side just like she'd done back in the storeroom they'd been locked in, "I don't really know any stories. Um. How about a lullaby? I dont know very many, though-" 

The girl's eyes seemed to sparkle despite the dark. She nodded fervently, giving the omega a warm smile. His heart squeezed in his chest. He flicked his eyes over to Derek's form draped across the couch. He didn't seem to be paying them much attention, but... 

"I mean- Sure, Babywulf." 

Stiles took in a deep breath and tried to stifle the heat in his cheeks. No one could say no to that smile. After searching his memory for something age-appropriate, Stiles pulled the blankets up to cover them both. He began to sing quietly as he could so as not to disturb Derek. 

_  
Isn't this such a beautiful night?  
Whoa, we're underneath a thousand shining stars  
_

__

__

_Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different?  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are?  
_

__

__

_Look at this place, look at your faces  
I've never seen you look like this before  
_

__

__

_Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different?  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are?  
_

__

__

_Look at this place, look at your faces  
They're shining like a thousand shining stars  
_

__

__

_Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different?  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are?  
_

__

__

_Why don't you let yourself just be somewhere different?  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be whoever you are?  
_

As Stiles finished out the last few notes of the song, he felt Melody's breaths grow deeper and watched her eyes droop. She put up a valiant effort to stay awake, but drifted off soon after the song was done, Stiles humming and patting her head throughout. 

On the other side of the room, Derek smiled to himself in the dark knowing that Stiles and his daughter couldn't catch him in the act. The stresses of the day fell away from his body as the omega's voice flowed to his ears. 

Stiles sighed, relieved when he realized the pup had finally given in to sleep. He was thoroughly exhausted, not at all used to caring for children. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered who the pup's mother was. Were they someone with a low status that the Hales couldn't accept? Or maybe something had happened to them. _Perhaps..._

. 

. 

. 

When Stiles jerked awake in the early hours of the morning, the moon still hung in the sky but he heard someone puttering around on the other side of the apartment. He sat up slowly, doing his best not to disturb the pup beside him, but she stayed fast asleep. He peered around the dark to see Derek typing at a laptop with the brightness turned low on the kitchen island. The omega stretched and slipped from the bed, padding over to join him. 

Derek watched him come and pour two glasses of water. He sat one next to Derek's hand and kept the other for himself before sitting in the barstool next to the alpha. 

"Work never stops, huh?" The omega's voice was hoarse from disuse. His hair was mussed, eyes half-lidded, and the collar of his sleep shirt had slipped to hang low over his left shoulder. The way the streetlights pouring into the windows played over his skin, Derek could almost imagine the shadows as lovebites. 

Derek flicked his gaze back to his laptop and willed away the less pure thoughts clouding his mind. He grunted his answer, "You were breathing fast in your sleep. Was it nightmares... from when you were trapped?" 

"Trapped...?" Stiles trailed off, "What do you- oh, in the bar? No, it's just regular stuff. I get 'em all the time. Hardly remember anything, don't worry. I didn't wake you, did I?" 

Derek shook his head. In truth, he'd actually set an alarm much earlier to be able to make an international conference call outside, but when he'd returned, he noticed the omega whimpering in his sleep and stayed awake trying to think of ways to help without frightening the boy. Stiles had woken not long after. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Has this happened before? I can get rid of her for you." 

Stiles waved his hand dismissively and ignored that this man had offered to probably 'disappear' someone for him, "No, nothing this severe, but wild stuff happens all the time in the entertainment industry, you know. I can handle Blake just fine on my own. Don't worry about me!" 

Derek nodded pensively. Stiles took a moment to study him. The alpha didn't seem so intimidating in the dark while he was wearing a university sweater and not his usual high society suits. When he looked over at his sleeping daughter, he almost seemed... soft. Stiles tilted his head. 

"Mr. Hale, can I ask you a question?" He said. The alpha nodded, eyes still glued to the screen, "Does Babywu- Does Little Princess, like, not know how to talk?" 

Derek straightened his back and peered down at Stiles, "She can speak. Pretty well for her age, in fact." 

"Is it... something else then?" 

The alpha hissed out a long breath and seemed to think for a moment. After a few seconds, he answered, "Princess is- she's pretty closed off from other people. We've done our best to do right by her, but..." 

"It's okay," the omega laid a hand on Derek's forearm comfortingly. When he noticed what he'd done, he blushed and thanked his lucky stars the alpha couldn't see how bright his cheeks were in the dark. Stiles's mind was still gummed up from sleep, "You don't have to say anything if you're not comfortable. I understand." 

Stiles figured that the child was traumatized from something predating the incident at the bar, but he didn't dare ask. Elite packs like the Hales always had secrets and it was generally dangerous for any outsiders caught in the crossfire. Stiles had enough going on without that threat hanging above his head, _thank you very much_. 

Derek tried his best to ignore the heat radiating from Stiles's hand on his arm. He breathed in the omega's scent and couldn't help the strong wave of satisfaction that rippled through his body. He suddenly turned his full focus on the boy beside him, "Mr. Argent?" 

"Y-yes, Mr. Hale?" Stiles nearly stopped breathing under Derek's intense gaze. His clear, hazel eyes almost glowed with a fire that threatened to consume both of them. 

"Have we met somewhere before?" 

It would have been a corny pick-up line had anyone else said it, but Stiles could tell that Derek was genuine. The look in his eye showed honest bewilderment- as if the connection were just on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't place it. Stiles understood how he felt. At times, he would find himself oddly comforted by the alpha in a way that Stiles had never been around any stranger before. 

Still, he shook his head, "No, I don't think so. Who could forget someone like you, Mr. Hale? Um, what makes you ask?" 

"Nothing in particular." 

Derek shifted his gaze to the window and the headlights of a few passing cars reflected in his eyes. After he spoke, his demeanor shifted from intense to almost lonely. Stiles coughed awkwardly and thought of a way to change the topic before the atmosphere got any worse. 

"Well, don't stay up too late. Or too early, I guess," the omega yawned, "There's still quite a bit of time before it reaches an acceptable hour. I'm going to try to go back to sleep." 

The alpha fixed his gaze back on Stiles and lifted a hand to stop him, "Sit back down. I 'm not done yet." 

Stiles wheezed. What did he need to be here for? 

The alpha finished typing something, then moved the laptop away from him. He propped his cheek up on a fist and raised an eyebrow. 

"Are you afraid of me?" The man asked. The blue light cast dramatic shadows on his face, making the man appear animalistic and cavalier as opposed to how composed and commanding he was in the light of day. Stiles could almost swear the man was smirking at him. 

Stiles started to shake his head, but then paused and nodded. His voice came out low and shaky, "Well, I mean- I can't think of a single person who wouldn't be afraid of you. You're one of the most powerful people in the world, Mr. Hale. I don't need to tell you that." 

Derek trailed a finger over the rim of the glass Stiles poured him with the hand not supporting his head. He hummed, "So you fear me because everyone else fears me. In that case, why don't you marry me? I can't think of very many people who'd pass up the opportunity you've been offered- _alpha, beta, and omega alike._ "

Stiles coughed nervously into his fist, blushing. He would probably never be able to live that comment down. Then, he processed what the man had actually said to him. His eyes widened and his body tensed, "I- I, uh... Hm. Actually, can I ask you a question first, Mr. Hale?" 

The alpha nodded, "You may." 

"Why... Why me?" Stiles brows were furrowed and his lips were downturned in a little pout. He genuinely didn't understand why Derek Hale of all people was insisting on this farce, "Is it because your daughter imprinted on me? You know that's only temporary. And you said it yourself- no one would pass up the opportunity to marry you. If you just want someone to mother Little Princess, there are tons of other, _much better_ options. I'm not..."

The alpha leaned back, waiting for Stiles to finish his sentence. The barstool's creaking made Stiles hyper-aware. He broke his gaze with Derek. 

"I'm not... worth all this trouble." 

Derek hummed. He didn't take his eyes off the omega, "I'll say this one more time." 

He moved his hand to hold the omega's, who was fidgeting with his sleeve. Stiles looked back at Derek, startled by the sudden and surprisingly gentle contact, "I'm very grateful to you for saving my daughter. She is my world, so I owe you everything. You _are_ deserving, Stiles Argent." 

Stiles's heart skipped a beat. Derek Hale really was suave as they come. The omega knew he should be jumping at the offer- a drop-dead gorgeous, obscenely wealthy alpha, an adorable, brave, and intelligent pup, and the security and support that would no doubt be provided by such an elite, well-established pack. Derek was right. There were very few people who would turn him down and Stiles was a fool to count himself among them. He just couldn't accept it. 

Stiles shook his head and met the alpha's gaze once again, firm in his resolve, "Mr. Hale, you're very kind and I really do appreciate your offer. I just... I'm not interested in marriage. Not with you or with anyone else, ever." 

Derek raised his eyebrow, "You're not the type that marries? Are you just interested in having sex, then?" 

"Yes! That! I mean- no, not that! Wait," Stiles's mouth twisted into an uncomfortable grimace, "Look, that's not what I meant." 

"Alright. I'm not interested in premarital sex either way." 

"Oh, really?" Stiles scoffed, rolling his eyes. Derek already had a child out of wedlock. How could his statement be true? 

Derek's gaze became somewhat unfocused. The corner of his lip turned down slightly and he spoke low, "Little Princess was an accident. No one knows who her mother is- not even me."

"Oh." 

"Is it... because I have a pup already? I thought you liked Little Princess." Derek demanded. 

"Of course not! Who wouldn't love Babywulf?" Stiles hissed, as if the mere thought of anyone not loving the pup was absurd. Derek had said it himself- there were thousands of people who would kill to become Little Princess's step-mother. Aside from the family she was a part of, the little girl was absolutely perfect! If anything, Derek's status as a father made him that much more attractive. 

"Then why won't you say _yes_?" Derek's gaze ripped through Stiles. He wasn't going to let this go until either the omega relented or he understood his reasons for refusal. 

Stiles sighed and leaned his whole weight onto the kitchen island. His spine and shoulders sagged beneath the impossible weight of this alpha's determination. He counted to ten and took a few deep breaths, trying not to get worked up over this, "Mr. Hale, marriage is not a game. Regardless of if you _think_ you owe me or not, we just met not even a whole day ago. We're complete strangers. Do you know anything about me? What kind of person I am? What I've been through and done in the past?" 

"I don't care about the past. The you I want to marry is the you right now, right here in front of me." 

The alpha's answer made Stiles want to swoon and simultaneously bang his head against a wall. _How could one man be so ridiculous and so smooth in one breath?_ He straightened himself up and eyed Derek seriously, "Still, the past is important to me. I can't separate myself from my past to marry you, Mr. Hale. We're completely different types of people following completely different paths. It just won't work out between us. Please, I implore you- reconsider and take back your proposal." 

A long, tense silence sat between the two. 

Stiles feared that the alpha would grow angry or violent after having been rejected so thoroughly again, but to his immense relief, he didn't smell any aggressive pheromones coming from Derek. Instead, he sat contemplatively for a while with a distressed look on his face. Finally, he spoke up, voice completely calm and unwavering, "Understood." 

The omega's tightly wound nerves relaxed. He stood from the barstool and flashed Derek a grateful smile, "Alright. I'm going back to sleep, then. Good night, Mr. Hale." 

Though Stiles couldn't see him, he felt the alpha's gaze follow him all the way back to the bed. 

"Goodnight, Stiles."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Derek: I can kill her. You want me to kill her?  
> Stiles: So, anywayyyyyy....  
> chapter today is about 1000 words shorter than usual and a good fourth of it was just copy/pasted lyrics lol. sorry babes.
> 
> Stiles forgot to offer his guests a shower last chapter because I forgot that that was a polite thing to do when someone stays over at your place. And why is his entire apartment just one shitty room? Because I wrote myself into a corner and now at least there's an excuse for Stiles to sing Derek and Melody both to sleep.
> 
> Also he had every single song to have ever aired on Steven Universe memorized and I will fight you on this lol
> 
> anyway thanks for visiting!  
> please leave a comment and a kudos if you've got the time and the inclination! Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it! Happy Holiday, if you celebrate something else! And enjoy your day, if neither of those options apply to you!  
> One chapter today and then one chapter tomorrow for the holiday- then I've got to have a day for writing sobo can stock back up on chapters.  
> chapter title is that weird little repeating melody from Sleepsong by Secret Garden, cuz lullaby, you get it? ahahaha  
> *cricket noises*
> 
> visit me @hungryliar or @multiwhump on tumblr if you'd like to talk or see my process or whatever
> 
> okay love you bye!  
> xoxo hungry


	7. A Little Bit of Spine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles stops a war, gets beat up, then forgets about a very important promise he made.  
> (It's okay, he remembers about it in the end.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> merry crisis
> 
> the name of the game is seeing how many names i can give melody without reaching an amount that confuses the audience and/or myself and the characters  
> let's count the tally so far:  
> -Melody Hale  
> -Little Princess  
> -Babywulf  
> -Princess Melody
> 
> okay that's technically not a lot.  
> her legal name is Melody Valentine Hale.
> 
> title for this chapter is from **Hold Me Down** by Halsey

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 6- A Little Bit of Spine_

. 

. 

. 

This time when Stiles woke, it was to the smell of coffee and dull rays of light filtering into the apartment windows. He groaned and rubbed the last few vestiges of sleep from his eyes. Little Princess had wrapped herself around Stiles's torso in her sleep. The omega smiled warmly down at the cute pup and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

Then Stiles looked up, to the kitchen, and choked on his own spit. 

Derek was already awake and trying to wrap up a business call, searching through Stiles's cabinets and fridge for anything that could serve as a quick breakfast for the three. The sweet domesticity wasn't what shocked Stiles, although he'd admit seeing such a capable alpha looking so at home in Stiles's space made his omega instincts so pleased it was jarring. No, what made the scene so bewildering was that the alpha had the audacity to walk around Stiles's apartment half-naked. 

Derek paced around shirtless. The only thing covering his upper body was a damp towel slung around the back of his neck. He was obviously freshly showered, a few droplets of water clinging to his broad chest. Stiles felt his face heat up and he struggled to pull his gaze away from the expanse of bare skin. 

If the omega's staring bothered him, Derek didn't show it. He ended his call and picked his shirt up from where it was folded over the arm of the couch. As he fastened the buttons, he called out, "I need to deal with an emergency at work. Can you wake Princess Melody and help her get ready to leave?" 

"Yeah, sure," Stiles nodded blearily. He looked down, prepared to shake Babywulf's shoulder, but her big eyes were already open wide. She sat straight up and pouted at her dad. 

Princess, Stiles is going to help you get dressed. We have to leave soon," Derek said. The pup's eyes narrowed. 

Stiles felt like he was in a dangerous position caught between the duo's vicious staring contest. He opened his mouth to break the silence, but the pup sprung up from her position next to Stiles and scrambled off the side of the bed before he could even think to catch her. Her quick little footfalls echoed through the apartment, followed seconds later by a resounding _bang!_ and a _click!_

"Oh boy," Stiles sighed. That was the sound of the bathroom door locking. He looked haltingly over at Derek, who was pinching the bridge of his nose. 

The alpha took in a slow, deep breath to calm himself, then met Stiles's gaze, "Do you have a key?" 

"To- to the bathroom door?" Stiles sputtered. He stood and walked over to the door, then shook his head, "No? I'm usually the only one in it! I mean, maybe? I don't know- I've literally never had a reason to use the lock or need a key for it in the whole time I've lived here." 

Derek walked to stand next to him. He tried to turn the knob, but it didn't budge. The alpha growled coldly, "I am going to give you three minutes. You will exit this bathroom with your teeth brushed, face washed, and an apology ready or I will break down this door and we will never come back here again." 

"Woah, woah, woah- Mr. Hale!" Stiles waved his hands nonsensically, "This apartment sort of belongs to Silverpoint Entertainment and I really can't afford to pay them for repairs right now!" 

Derek huffed, clenching and unclenching his fists a few times, "Fine." 

Three minutes came and went without a single noise from inside the bathroom. 

" _Melody Hale_ ," Derek huffed ominously, "I am being very kind right now. If you're going to wait for me to come force you out, you're not going to like what happens." 

A small thud sounded from behind the door as if the pup had lightly kicked at it. Derek's nostrils flared with barely contained rage. 

Stiles watched from a short distance away, hesitant to put himself in the middle of a family quarrel- even if that quarrel was between a five year old and a thirty-odd year old man. The more he thought about the situation, the harder Stiles found it to keep himself from chuckling, "Mr. Hale, I, uh, I don't have to go to work until later. Little Princess can stay here for a bit." 

"No, I've got this," Derek pulled out his phone and dialed a number. When the other side picked up, he spoke urgently, "Yes. Dr. Deaton?" 

"A doctor?" Stiles blinked. 

"Her psychiatrist," Derek nodded to Stiles before turning to whisper into the phone, "Hello. I'm having a bit of an issue with Melody. Would you come over to the address I'm about to send you?" 

"Wait, wait," Stiles interrupted. Calling a licensed psychiatrist over to his apartment just because of a small episode of stubbornness seemed to be making a mountain out of a molehill. Though Stiles knew that Melody was a bit of a special case, all children threw fits sometimes. He tilted his head, unwittingly baring his neck to the alpha, "Would you- I know it's not really my place, but do you mind if I try something out first? Before this psychiatrist comes. If it doesn't work, we'll do things your way." 

Derek faltered a moment, then nodded his head and backed away from the door. He muttered into the phone, "Give us a few minutes, Deaton." 

Stiles kneeled in front of the door and knocked lightly, "Babywulf? Your dad said he'd give us a few minutes. Will you come out here please?" 

No response came. 

Stiles hummed, "I'd love to let you stay, but I've got to go to work soon. I can't take care of you, Princess, so can you please go home with your dad?" 

Still, he received no response. 

"I know! How about this? We'll exchange phone numbers and that way, we can call each other whenever we feel like it! Does a video call sound cool?" 

The door creaked, letting Stiles know that a little body leaned all their weight against it. That was a good sign, right? Then, he got an idea. 

"Oh, no! Look at the time! The director is gonna be so mad at me if I'm late to work!" Stiles's voice wavered pitifully. He forced a few tears to his eyes and whispered as if he were terrified, even faking a light wave of slightly anxious pheromones, "He's so scary! I think he's gonna yell at me! Babywulf, I'm not brave like you- _I'm so scared!_ " 

The knob clicked and the door flung open, a regretful looking pup tripping over her own feet to reach Stiles. The stubborn pup threw herself into the omega's arms and reached her tiny hands up to wipe the tears from his eyes. She tried to pull his head down to her neck to scent him, pouting the whole time as if she'd never regretted anything more than making this omega cry. 

Derek couldn't stop his eyes from widening in shock. He openly stared at the two, expression an odd twist between astonishment and exasperation. The alpha has expected this tantrum to devolve into an all-out war. The last time Melody had holed herself away in the attic, Derek, Cora, Laura, his parents, his uncle, all the servants, Dr. Deaton, and even a negotiations expert they'd hired out of desperation failed to convince the pup to come to them. They'd spent the whole afternoon wheedling, arguing, and basically talking themselves dry. In the end, Derek just ended up making sure she was out of the way and then busting down the door. The pup ignored them all for a full month afterward. 

And somehow, Stiles Argent had managed to persuade the child in less than a minute. 

"CEO Hale? Am I still needed?" Dr. Deaton asked, puzzled, still waiting on the other end of the call. His voice shook Derek out of his momentary stupor. 

"No. You're free to go." 

Stiles smiled and gave into her attempts at smothering him in her scent. She looked miserable at the thought of leaving, but couldn't seem to bear the thought of the omega suffering. Stiles picked her up and carried her to the kitchen, "There's my Little Princess! You came out to save me again, huh? It's okay now- I'm too happy seeing you to be afraid of that scary director anymore! Come on, let's eat breakfast and then we'll get you ready to go. That way the toothpaste taste and the fruit juice taste don't mix together and make your tongue feel all weird. Does it do that to you, too?" 

Little Princess beamed up at Stiles with the realization that she'd been forgiven so easily. When he sat her down, she found the nearest scrap of paper she could and wrote a short note with a pen Stiles had lying in the bathroom. She handed it to him and put the toast on the counter in her mouth, chewing obediently. 

"Oh? What's this?" Stiles accepted the note and saw a string of numbers written on it, "Is this your phone number? I'm going to save it right now so I can call you as soon as I'm free, okay?" 

Derek's brow furrowed. Melody didn't have a phone, so whose number had she given the omega? He took a few steps closer and glanced over Stiles's shoulder. It was _Derek's_ number. 

He huffed a short laugh and smiled down at his daughter. His eyes conveyed a silent message- _not bad, kid_. 

She stared back at him blankly and continued to chew her toast. 

. 

. 

. 

In her top-floor office at Silverpoint Entertainment's headquarters, Jennifer Blake fumed, "I can't believe that runt auditioned for _Distant Heaven_ behind my back! And somehow he managed to snatch the role of Rhys!" 

"Rhys?" Allison frowned. She recognized the name from the script, "You said you convinced him to give up. I was one of the last people at the auditions. How did he even make it on time?" 

Blake hissed, obviously frustrated, "That was the plan, but my safety measures ended up failing. I asked around earlier- it turns out he managed to slip in right before the judges left. I don't know what he did or how, but they basically hired him on the spot. Who knows which one of the casting judges that little slut has wrapped around his finger?" 

Blake silenced herself abruptly. Stiles was unassuming and often presented himself as a beta by masking his scent and wearing baggy clothes to hide his slight frame, but he still had plenty of undeniably omegan features. It would be child's play for him to draw in an alpha hungry for the unique experience of a male omega, as uncommon as they are. It wouldn't surprise Blake at all if that were truly what happened. 

When Stiles first signed on with Silverpoint Entertainment, Blake planned to promote his skills and try to boost the kid all the way to the top. However, not long after, Allison Argent approached her and expressed her pack's interest in keeping the omega out of the major public eye. Though Stiles had passion and talent, he was a rookie with no connections and Allison was an already popular artist with a powerful family background. It was an easy choice to make between the two. 

Hollywood wasn't like how they showed it on TV. An actor can't make it in the entertainment industry with their skills alone. 

Allison appeared distressed, "Rhys isn't a main character, but _Distant Heaven_ is still going to be a big production." 

Blake watched the girl worry at her lips. She tried to think of a solution to their problem, but there seemed to be no getting around this. Blake sighed, "Unfortunately, I think we'll have to let him take this one. Silverpoint has already invested a lot into this movie and the boss will be happy to hear that two of our artists have parts. _Distant Heaven_ 's team seems dead set on keeping him as Rhys." 

After a moment, Allison stilled, all signs of tension leaving her body in an instant. She seemed to have thought of something. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her blouse with her fingers and peered up at Blake, expression cold, "It's fine. If Stiles wants to play the devil, let him. He's always caused trouble. I think this role suits him. Don't you?" 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles got an email notification from Blake informing him that his role in _Distant Heaven_ had been decided and filming would commence late in the morning. He had about an hour to review the script, arrive at the filming site, and prepare himself. 

In the film, his character, though not the main antagonist, served as a sort of foil to the main two protagonists. Where Canton and the princess were earnest, kind, and had the support of their people, Rhys was an outcast that spread poison and vitriol everywhere he went. Where the princess rallied her kingdom's army to rise up against the enemy by igniting their courage and faith, Rhys organized an army to attack her kingdom in the first place by bewitching them with dark magic. Where Sir Canton and the princess end up falling in love, Rhys ends up dying horrifically before the end of the film. No wonder Allison didn't cause a huge fuss over Stiles getting this part. 

There was only one scene Stiles had to take part in today and it would only amount to maybe three minutes in the movie post-production. Rhys was surrounded by an angry crowd being beaten and stepped on after getting caught stealing again. 

In actuality, filming those three minutes took two whole hours. The extras playing the crowd were inexperienced and their actions didn't match their expression or tone. The director wasn't satisfied, so Stiles was beaten over and over until the scene came out okay. Some of his hisses and groans of pain were real- these people really didn't understand how to pull their punches. 

Stiles contemplated complaining to the director, or even to HR, but decided it ultimately wasn't worth it. His position here was very precarious. _Distant Heaven_ 's cast was full of A-Listers and Stiles knew he was out of place. Considering how much he knew the Argents likely didn't want him in the movie anyway, he decided it wasn't worth the risk. 

Once everything was finished, Stiles went home and collapsed into an exhausted heap on his couch. He dosed off with the TV on, ignoring the unsettling feeling that he was forgetting something important. 

Through lidded eyes, he recognized a familiar silhouette appear on the screen. Those sharp cheekbones, broad shoulders, powerful muscles, piercing green eyes, and that cold, dominating aura that was obvious even through the TV- 

The omega perked up. Wasn't that Babywulf's father, Derek Hale? 

The CEO seemed to be at exiting some sort of successful endeavor, shaking hands with businessmen from all over the world. The host was speaking excitedly about how Hale Corporation continued to grow in the international market by signing a new, lucrative deal with a famous Italian brand. Apparently, their stock value had the potential to double now. 

Stiles rolled his eyes. _Capitalism._ As he settled himself to rest, his eyes flew open. He almost fell off the couch in his scramble to find his phone. 

"Oh, shit! _I forgot to call Babywulf!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas! It's not a Christmas chapter, but who doesn't love an update for the holidays? A gift from me to you. And if you're not into Christmas, then I hope your holiday was wonderful if you celebrate one! And if you dont, then I hope your day was filled with love!
> 
> (chapters might slow down for a bit after this because I'm a dumb ass)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments! You're all so kind! 💖
> 
> Hey, just a general poll here- do you guys think that the scene cuts within the chapters are too abrupt? Too jumpy?  
> I do, but I don't wanna cut every scene into its own chapter because that's gonna be like a gazillion chapters. I mean, yeah, I'm gonna cut some scenes from Full Marks but _still_.  
> Derek in the series is very much not good at dealing with teenagers, but didn't he have a house full of little cousins and shit? I don't blame the boy- he was mad traumatized and in a shitty situation.  
> So, I don't wanna characterize him as the best dad, but I do want to convey that he's trying. Also, Melody is five and sensible, not fifteen and stupid, like some people we know.  
> Although, making Stiles responsive to Melody? That one's a doozy. Something about him strikes me as very much NOT good with kids (mostly the parts of him that are just like me). But I need him and Melody to love each other for this fic, so damn it, give me the Good Mom Stiles.  
> I don't know why I'm trying to justify myself.  
> I'm thinking I'll keep chapters this size: 2.5-3.5k words. This almost ended up being 5k but I looked back and was like _nah_.
> 
> Next chapter: Y'all ready to meet the parents?
> 
> **EDIT:** Man, idk what the fuck is going on. i'm super sorry if you just got some updates for chapters getting posted because they weren't. for some reason, 'Save Draft ' just means 'Post Chapter' now??? i mean i know it doesnt and it has to be me doing something wrong, but i apologize that you have to suffer with me :(


	8. light on my feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hale family has a conversation over dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what dumbass accidentally posted the chapter that said Do Not Publish right on the top???? This one. It's me. I'm dumbass.  
> Sorry if you got the notification for that last week!
> 
> So, no chapter warnings.
> 
> today's chapter title is from **The Happy Nihilist** by The Classic Crime. not their best piece, i must admit, but they were trying.
> 
> y'all ready to meet the parents?
> 
> let's get on with the show!

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 7- Light on my Feet_

. 

. 

. 

Back at the Hale Residence, Laura, Talia, and William Hale all gathered to have dinner together with Cora, Derek, and Little Princess after their long trip overseas. 

Hale Corporation finally settled an important contract that had been in the works for almost three years. Talia was bursting with pride and spent the first few minutes after her arrival praising her two youngest children and smothering them in poorly received affection. Cora looked to her eldest sister for help, but Laura just stared at the three and watched her siblings suffer. 

As the six settled down to eat, though Talia grew stern and addressed a topic she and Derek had been arguing over for the past five years: Business is important, but nothing was anywhere as important as their Little Princess Melody. 

She pinned him down with a stare, speaking in the same strict, firm voice she'd use to direct Derek with when he was still a child, "I know that you've been busy with work lately, but you have to set aside time to spend with Little Princess. Now that this Italian deal has gone through, why don't you take a few days off- maybe a few weeks- and just relax with your daughter?" 

Her husband spoke up, suddenly paying attention to the main conversation after spending a few minutes trying to convince Princess to eat her vegetables, "He's just going to go back to being even busier afterward. Derek, why don't you look for someone who can help you take care of Princess?" 

"Your father is right!" Talia nodded. 

Cora shot a commiserating look at Derek. They could never get through a single meal without their parents playing the ' _when are you going to find a mate?_ ' game with one of them. 

Derek ate silently, his face blank of any emotion but he couldn't stop anyone in the room from smelling how tired he was of the conversation. This was an old song and dance. His parents couldn't ever seem to get the message that he wanted nothing more than for them to drop the idea. 

Little Princess's plate sat untouched before her. Her entire focus was on the phone in her lap. She had been sitting completely still and silent like that for minutes, transfixed. 

Talia's eyebrow twitched. Her gaze flicked between her son and granddaughter. She growled, "Derek, are you even listening to me? Also, what's wrong with Little Princess? She hasn't eaten a bite of food tonight and she won't let go of that phone!" 

"Mm! I know that one!" Cora spoke, voice muffled by her mouth full of potatoes, "Little Princess is waiting for a call!" 

"A call?" William repeated, completely befuddled. 

"Yeah," Cora nodded, "She and Derek met someone they like the other day. Well, I say like, but actually, Derek's got a crush!" 

The two elder Hales's eyes widened in shock. Talia eyed Cora suspiciously, "You're telling the truth? Don't lie to me, young lady!" 

"Mom, I've literally never been able to lie to you in my life," Cora rolled her eyes, "None of us can. You'd be able to hear it." 

"Derek! You've got to tell us about them!" William urged him. 

Derek looked at his parents and nodded, silent. 

Talia groaned. After waiting all day to see her kids and her granddaughter, she now had to deal with their attitudes. She seethed, "You're not even going to say a single word? Your father and I are trying to find out more about your life! I didn't raise you to be this difficult!" 

Derek sighed. He looked blankly at his mother. 

William ignored his wife and son's clashing. They were all used to this. He had a thought and then looked at his son hesitantly, "Derek... This person you like- what's their gender?" 

Derek grit his teeth, "An omega, Dad." 

Laura turned away, trying to stifle her laughter in her glass of wine. Cora outright guffawed, nearly choking on the food in her mouth. The elder Hales looked relieved, but Cora thought that made the whole situation much more hilarious. She wheezed and took pity on her poor older brother, "Mom, Dad, please stop making fun of Der. Yes, it's an omega. He's adorable and Princess Melody loves him! That's why she's so focused on that phone- he said he'd call her after work." 

Talia's eyes glistened. She clasped her hands together excitedly and a stream of words spilled out her mouth with almost no pause between questions, "Oh, I thought I'd never see the day! And it's a _male omega_? They're uncommon! What family is he from? How old is he? What does he look like? What does he do? Why haven't we heard anything about him- you have to bring him over!" 

"Mom," Laura interrupted. She shot a look at Cora, then Derek. She hadn't been aware that anything had happened between her brother and the omega after she ended their video call the other day, but if Cora was supportive, then Laura was happy to help her little brother out. "Their relationship is obviously still in a fragile state. It's best if none of us interfere." 

Cora sagged back in her chair, relieved but trying not to show it too much. If Talia and William did any research and found out who Stiles was, they'd probably be much less excited about him being in a relationship with Derek. The Hales and Argents weren't exactly friends, not to mention his status in the entertainment industry and the other not so great information Cora dug up in the soft background check she did on the boy. It was nothing immediately worrying or dangerous to Derek or Little Princess, but there was definitely nothing their parents would like. 

Also, they'd probably find out about Cora losing Little Princess in a bar, which was a conversation she would rather go her whole life without having. 

William smiled warmly, "Well, if you and Princess like him so much, I'm sure he's an amazing omega, Derek." 

Talia frowned, upset that her questions would go unanswered, but overall, she agreed with her husband. She sighed, "Okay, I'll back off. As long as he makes you and Princess Melody happy. You know I love your smiles." 

As soon as the last word left her mouth, the phone in Melody's hands began ringing. The pup's eyes lit up excitedly. Laura's eyebrows shot up. Her brother had given the omega his personal cell number? Very few people outside of their immediate family had it. 

Cora peered over her niece's shoulder- that really was Stiles's number! 

"Is that the omega?" Her dad demanded in a tense whisper. Cora nodded and slid her finger across the skin to help Princess answer the call. The whole table kept quiet, almost holding their breath to hear the omega speak.

. 

. 

. 

Stiles struggled with himself viciously, turning his cellphone over and over in his hands as he debated whether or not calling the number Babywulf gave him was a good idea or not. In the end, he let go of all of his reservations and pressed the call button. 

Stiles tended to avoid pups after the accident that happened five years ago. He wanted to like them, but seeing wide, innocent eyes or hearing a child's high pitched cry always brought back devastating memories and thoughts of what he could have had. Even knowing his pup's father wasn't who he expected, he still longed for the life he carried within him for seven months- the pup he'd sung to at night, brought to life with his body, and dreamed of holding one day. 

That child had carried Stiles's hopes for a brighter future. It also represented his tainted past. 

When he was with Babywulf, though, her shrieks of laughter didn't make him uncomfortable. He'd actually grown fond of the little alpha pup and couldn't help but want to stay close to her. 

It was a strange, but welcome feeling. 

He heard the click of the call being answered, but no sound came from the other end. 

Stiles let the silence remain for a moment before venturing an answer, "Hello?" 

He heard a brief shuffling and knew that it had to be the pup on the other end, "Hi, Babywulf! Ah, or do you prefer Little Princess? That's what your daddy calls you, right? Sorry I'm calling so late, Princess. I just got back from work and remembered to call!" 

Babywulf didn't really ever speak, so Stiles wracked his brain for ways to keep this one-sided conversation going, "Have you eaten yet? Make sure to eat until you're full if you can. Try not to stuff yourself, though, or you might get sick and honestly, that's the worst. Don't be too picky with your food, Princess. You gotta eat so you can grow up and be healthy and strong! Ah, but you're already so cute and brave right now! 

"Oh! I saw your dad on the news tonight. He just got a really big business deal taken care of- how cool, right? Will you make sure to pass along my congratulations, please?" 

...

On the other end of the line, Little Princess sat the phone carefully onto the table in front of her and smiled up at her dad. After trying to remember if she had learned the correct signs yet, she gave up and lifted her hands to clumsily fingerspell 'CONGRATULATIONS DAD!' instead. 

Laura and the Hale elders froze, completely stupefied. Her grandparents had invested a lot into tutors and instructors earlier in Little Princess's life, but she ran every single one of them off after less than a week of service. Of course, they were aware that she could read and write quite well, but they hadn't expected her to retain anything from her ASL lessons. Her tutors all said that she hadn't paid attention to a single word any of them said. She hadn't even written a note to any of them in weeks. 

Little Princess had no desire to communicate at all most of the time, so to see her take such initiative was beyond shocking. 

Cora kept her smirk to herself. Laura had of course seen the pup's initial reaction to the omega, but even she didn't anticipate how strong of an effect he'd have on her brother and niece. Only Cora and Derek were unfazed by Princess's actions. 

Derek had listened attentively when the omega was speaking earlier, but when he saw his daughter's well wishes, a shadow of a smile crossed his ever stoic face. He smoothed his hand over her head, using his other hand to sign the same response he quietly mouthed back at her- _Thanks, Baby Wolf_. 

He wasn't quite fluent with ASL either, but he reminded himself that he'd need to refresh his knowledge now that his daughter had taken a new interest in it. 

The omega stifled a yawn on his end, continuing to ramble not long after, "Alright, Princess Babywulf, it's going to be getting late soon. Please be sure to eat well! Maybe if you ask nicely, your daddy will get you something for dessert, too. Brush your teeth when you're done, though. It'd be a shame for your adorably sharp teeth to get any cavities! It was so cool talking to you- goodnight!" 

Princess nodded, smiling, and hugged the phone as if the omega could feel it. 

The adults could hear Stiles's voice muffled through the fabric of Little Princess's shirt. He chuckled and whispered, "Sweet dreams, darling!" 

And then the phone beeped a short note, notifying them all that the omega hung up. 

When she noticed that the call was over, Little Princess set the phone back on the table and promptly grabbed her fork to begin eating hurriedly. William watched incredulously as she took special care to eat every last piece of broccoli that she hated so much off of her plate. 

His face was full of awe and happiness, "Cora, Derek, where did you find this omega? Just a few words from him and Princess is more obedient right now than she was after months working with her psychiatrist!" 

"That's right!" Talia grinned, showing genuine mirth, "He sounds adorable! Derek, you'd better snatch this omega up before someone else does!" 

Derek's expression stayed flat, "That's the plan." 

His mother's eye flashed, displaying how annoyed his response made her. She then turned to her youngest child, meeting her eyes seriously, "Cora, sweetheart, your brother is hopeless. You're the only child of mine with people skills-" 

"Hey!" Laura interjected. 

"-so you've got to help him get married because we all know you won't," Talia kept speaking right over her. 

Cora opened her mouth like she was going to object to the end of her mother's sentence, but she closed it just as quickly, pouting instead, "You're right, but you don't have to say it." 

Laura sputtered, completely ignored by everyone at the table, "Wha- My people skills are just fine! I talk to politicians all the time! I'm head pack liaison! _Mom!_ " 

"Laura, lovely," William pat his eldest daughter's back soothingly, trying to stifle his laughter, "We love you, but you're not exactly easy to approach." 

" _Dad!_ " 

"Alright, alright!" Cora laughed, waving her hands in the air as if to dissipate the conversation physically, "Don't worry about it." 

Then, she leaned back in her chair and eyed her parents sternly, "I've got Derek's back, but you two have to stay out of this. We don't wanna scare the omega off before their relationship even starts!" 

"Okay, okay, we get it!" They agreed, nodding along, "We won't do anything!" 

After a moment of silence, Laura raised her hand sheepishly, "Do I have to stay out of it, too?" 

Cora laughed, almost choking on a bit of food that accidentally fell down the wrong tube. 

. 

. 

. 

Cora was the last to remain at the main Hale residence with Derek and Little Princess after her parents and older sister left to their own places for the night. She leaned into her brother's personal space and grinned up at him predatorily. 

"Well?" She asked, eyes sparkling with mischief, "I did good, right? I think that means you _owe_ me!" 

The larger alpha rolled his eyes, exasperated, and reached into his pocket. He tossed something small and metallic looking in her direction and she caught it in one hand without a second's hesitation. 

"What's this? You can't buy me with some shitty trinket!" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion before she looked closer at the object in her hands. Her eyes almost bugged out her skull, "Nevermind! Consider me bought!" 

He'd given her the keys to a limited edition McLaren F1 Speedtail hypercar- there were only 106 of them in the entire world and though the original price was over $2.2 million, the current estimated worth of one was well over double that amount. When did Derek get his hands on one of these? _How did he hide it from Cora this long_? She kept a close eye on the luxury car market and the entirety of the Speedtail stock was sold out before McLaren had even released a picture of the thing. 

"Holy shit, I- What the fuck? Bro, what the fuck?" Cora cradled the key in her hands like the priceless treasure it quite literally was. Since she learned to drive, she had begged and wheedled her brother endlessly, trying to get him to buy her a luxury car with even half the esteem of the Speedtail, but he always brushed her off. The more she thought about it, the more concerned she grew. She looked up at her brother, mouth pressed into a thin line, "Derek, you're serious about this omega- Stiles Argent? You're not joking around, are you?" 

"I want to marry him," Derek's firm tone left no room for confusion. 

Cora sucked in a hissing breath. She hadn't expected it to get to this point. She spoke gravely, drawing knowledge from her own sincere romantic experiences, "Hm. I hope you're ready, bro. Getting a mate isn't easy these days. It's like- hm. If love was a game with levels, some people would be easy mode, some people would be normal, and some people would be hard. Stiles? He's gonna be hell mode, bro. 

"So what's your plan? I mean, I can think of a few, I guess. Everyone has weaknesses, but it's gonna be hard to guess his. He doesn't seem to be the type to let himself be bought if one can judge by his current situation. I'm sure someone's tried already. He won't let you boost his career through manipulation either, for the same reason. 

"You could try to win him over by being romantic, but _man_ , Der. His background check came with a list of famous exes. I love you, but compared to them, you're a wet dishrag with abs, bro. 

"I guess you could try to get him pregnant so he'll have to stay? I don't think that'll work, though. There's been no record of him checking into a heat hotel for the past five years and he hasn't missed a suppressant shot since he turned eighteen. He won't take any chances with pregnancy." 

Cora sighed, ignoring the glower Derek had been aiming at her since she first started talking. She kept going, talking through her thought process in an effort to help her brother out, "This omega's a tough case. The way I see it is Stiles is just like me. He'll be cynical about love and relationships overall. It'd be easy if you just wanted to fuck around, but marriage is definitely off the table." 

"You say this as someone whose never met anyone makes you want to get married and start a family," Derek's usually frigid expression looked almost gentle under the soft moonlight shining through the windows. 

Cora blinked. She hadn't heard her brother string so many words together out loud in months, "Wow. You're on a whole different level, huh? Is this what true love does to people? So, have you got a plan, big guy or will you be needing my patented love experti-" 

"No thanks," Derek dismissed her, turning around to walk away and physically end the conversation before it could continue any further. 

"Wha-" Cora jumped. When she noticed his efforts to ignore her, she hastened to follow him. She laid a hand on his shoulder, "Mom was right, you know! You don't have any experience with omegas and _I_ am a well known omega-wooing queen. You need me!" 

Derek's mouth twisted uncomfortably, "I'd rather not." 

"De- _rek_ ," she sing-songed. The wolfish, self-satisfied look on her face was one Derek had learned to dread in their childhood. She wasn't going to let this go without a fight. 

A creak down the hall startled them out of their playful bickering. A few seconds later, one of the doors sway open and they both swung around, surprised to see Little Princess standing in the doorway. 

"Um. Hey, baby," Cora kneeled to get closer to her niece's eye level. 

Derek's brow furrowed. What was she doing out of bed so late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Thanks for visiting! And special thanks to everyone who's commented/left kudos!!! :)
> 
> I guess updating on holidays might be a Thing now, but it could also be because there's so damn many of them this time of year.
> 
> I don't. I don't know how to write Cora or Laura. They're just gonna be what they are, I guess. And at some point during this fic, they're gonna pass the Bechdel test.
> 
> I had to Google luxury cars for that past little section of this chapter and I am absolutely disgusted by the state of the world right now. The Speedtail is a real car and this fic is about to get a lot worse in terms of gross displays of capitalistic opulence displays. When I run out of food, the first people I'll eat are the owners of all 106 McLaren Speedtail hypercars.
> 
> And um? MaryLouLeach is active rn?? And she's active in the Teen Wolf fandom????? I fucking?!?! Love her?!?! Like, I was reading her stuff back when The Rebel to the Revolutionary was still in progress??? I'm still a little bit upset that Distrust only has 5 chapters! I read Keep Me Close in my freshman year of high school!!!! It was like... a text that informed some of the values I still uphold! 
> 
> (Oh shit that means Living Well might be a formative text for one of you. Um. If you're reading this and you're not old enough to vote, uhhh... Be kind to everyone you can, up to and including yourself! Kindness means several different things and you will have to determine that daily! Research and inform your own political opinions! Make the best choices you can in the moment! Don't linger over the past for too long! You don't have to know what you want for the future! Remember to breathe! Stand up for what you believe in (and YOU should be one of those things)! And stand up for people in need! Everything will be okay in it's time as long as we do our best to help each other. I promise.)
> 
> Oh my gosh! Some of my non-fanfic work just got published in a literary journal!!! A real one!!! I've got to finish another short story so I can send it in before submission deadlines.


	9. She's Going to the Attic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Princess throws a temper tantrum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title from **Dollhouse** by Melanie Martinez, which comes along with the realization that as long as one employs critical thinking about the content they consume, said content can still be enjoyed even though its creator(s) may be less than ideal

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 8- She's Going to the Attic_

. 

. 

. 

"Um. Hey, baby," Cora kneeled to get closer to her niece's eye level. 

Most people would think Melody Hale was a strange child. Unlike others her age, she had a mature, restrained demeanor. She did not cling to her father or her aunts Above all else, she loved silence. 

Often, when she was done eating, instead of rushing to play with toys or watch cartoons, she would squirrel herself away in her room, the quietest part of the house. After household staff completed their tasks, they were required to either return immediately to their quarters or to leave the premises. They couldn't make any noise that might disturb the Hales's Little Princess or else she might lose her temper- and Little Princess on a rampage was more fearsome than all of the Hale siblings' childhood tantrums combined. 

Often in the past, her grandparents used to visit her room and bring snacks when they feared she wasn't eating enough, but after the second time, she just locked herself in the attic to be alone. Eventually, everyone learned to give the pup her space. After she went to her room for the day, that would usually be the last anyone would see of her until the next morning. 

For these reasons, Cora was shocked to see her niece standing in the doorway out of her bedroom so late at night, eyes wide open and alert as if it were midday rather than midnight. She had already taken the initiative to communicate with them earlier, but now she was even coming out of her safe space? 

Not only that, but Little Princess scuttled quickly toward Derek and hugged the man's leg. 

The action startled a laugh our of Cora. _This kid was too cute!_ But such affection was really out of character for Little Princess. 

Derek met his daughter's pleading gaze and already knew what she wanted. He stared back down at her expressionlessly, "No. You already saw him today." 

Her eyes flicked to the phone in his pocket. 

"You got to talk to him during dinner. No." He rejected the pup again. 

"Oh!" Cora finally understood after watching them. Little Princess missed Stiles. She hummed, "That's cute." 

The pup frowned, seeming to realize that her father wouldn't be swayed. She promptly released his leg and trotted over to Cora instead. She broke out the same routine, clinging desperately to her aunt's leg. Cora felt a bit overwhelmed and flattered. Little Princess hadn't so much as hugged Cora in months. She shook her head, "Oh, _no no no_ , my precious Princess, you can't use this trick on Auntie Cora! You know I can't fight back against your cuteness!" 

Usually, Little Princess faced the world looking completely dispassionate and uninterested, just like her father, but in the rare instance that she truly wanted something, the pup knew how to charm anyone into giving in. She tilted her head to the left like a confused, adorable animal and stared up at Cora with her huge unblinking, star-filled hazel eyes. No one was ever able to resist Princess Melody Hale- 

Except Derek Hale, that is. 

Cora looked between Little Princess and her brother, panicked. She wanted to pick up her adorable niece and give her everything the pup could ever dream of wanting. Her mouth twisted into a thin, uncomfortable line as she sighed, " _Princess, nooooooooo_! That's not fair! I really wanna help you. I do! But your daddy said no already and I'm not gonna undermine him!" 

Little Princess's expression evened out into an impassive stare and she let go of her aunt's leg immediately. 

_Ouch!_ Cora wilted. That pup really could be brutal when she wanted to. 

Cora chuckled at the absurd picture the child made. Her wide eyes burned with betrayal- as if the two adult alphas had personally stolen her favorite omega right from underneath her nose. If looks could kill, Cora and her brother would be in trouble. 

Little Princess huffed out a short, quiet growl, but it was enough to convey the overwhelming emotions inside the pup. She stomped away from the adults, disappearing into the dark further down the hallway. 

They listened to her bang her way all the way downstairs. Cora eyed her brother warily, "What now?" 

Derek shrugged, "She ate a lot tonight." 

Cora hummed. Little Princess did eat every bite of her food when Stiles asked her to, so she wouldn't be able to use her most severe method of protest, starving herself, for a while yet. Cora let herself relax with this realization. 

Suddenly, Derek tensed. Cora blinked, confused. As the Pack Alpha, Derek's senses were incrementally better than everyone else's, despite the overwhelming amount of alphas born to the Hale family, but there wasn't much he could catch before she did. Then she felt it. 

An almost imperceptible scrape of something against wood. Less than a second later, a deafening crash came from the direction of the living room and the sounds of chaos just continued coming. 

_They had underestimated Little Princess._

She was normally such a detached, self-contained little girl. Most of the things she did were far beyond the level one could expect of a five-year-old. However, Little Princess was still a child. Children don't need to think up plans or strategies to get back at people when they're upset. She only needed to throw a tantrum. 

Derek and Cora both flew down the stairs. Cora flicked the light on and took in the new mess that had been created. In less than a minute, Little Princess managed to completely trash the living room. One of Talia Hale's most prized possessions, a priceless ancient flower vase that was tall as an adult person, had been pushed against the floor and shattered into countless pieces. Framed pictures had been knocked from their perches on the wall, everything on a table that could be knocked off had been toppled onto the floor, and all the couch cushions and pillows had been thrown across the room. Little Princess herself was crouched on top of a bookshelf, teeth bared in a snarl, having obviously just thrown every single book off the shelves. 

Cora choked on her own spit. Little Princess had been alone for 45 seconds at maximum. 

" _ **Melody Valentine Hale!**_ " 

Cora winced, unconsciously jerking away from her brother. The man was furious in a way that only his daughter could ever make him. Derek only ever used her full name when she was testing the last limits of his patience. 

The pup's face twisted into a truly frightening expression, but her gaze hardened. Her lip quivered and a flood of anxious pheromones started to fill the room. Although her hands were trembling with fear, she looked them both dead in the eye, unrepentant, and pushed a potted plant off the edge of the top of the bookshelf. 

Then, she opened her mouth and _shrieked._

" _Melody Hale!_ " Derek's eyes flashed red and he let out a vicious growl, "You are in _so much trouble!_ " 

Little Princess jumped from her perch and landed on all fours, barely waiting a second before getting up to run into the next room. More crashes sounded through the house and Derek started to stomp after her. Cora grabbed her brother's arm tentatively, wincing after hearing another loud bang in the dining room, "Maybe we _should_ just call Stiles?" 

Little Princess grunted and something made of glass shattered, flinging a few glittering shards all the way into the living room. Derek took a second to try and calm him breathing, but another crash rang through the house and he jerked out of Cora's grip and into the dining room, smelling absolutely incensed. 

"Wait! Neither of you are wearing shoes!" 

Cora watched Derek chase his daughter around the house, leaving a trail of unmitigated destruction in their wake. After ten minutes of their song and dance, the oppressive mix of angry, terrified, and frustrated pheromones was starting to make Cora twitch. The father and daughter had been at this for almost ten minutes and Derek snapped at her whenever Cora tried to step in the middle of their conflict. She huffed and followed them into the kitchen now, starting to feel hopeless, " _Derek!_ Let's just call Stiles. We can't do this with her all night." 

"No," Derek growled, unable to stop the incandescent red glint flashing in his eye. He snatched the wooden knife holder off of the counter before Little Princess could think to throw it. 

"Bro, she's just a pup! Not one of your unquestioning employees!" Cora pleaded. She walked closer to the pair, careful not to slip on any spilled liquids or fallen plates, "It's okay to give in to her every now and again!" 

Derek eyed his sister coldly, making her flinch back unconsciously, "No. I will take care of this. If you don't like the way I do things, you can _leave_." 

Cora sagged. She struggled with the urge to pull out her hair. Both father and child were the most stubborn people on earth. It seemed Derek was determined not to let Little Princess think her tantrums would work on him all the time. 

The situation was too stressful for Cora. She edged herself away from the situation until she had reached the front door. She threw one last glance behind her before exiting the door and heaving in a few huge breaths to clear the haze of all the terrible pheromones she had absorbed out from her lungs. The shrill noise of growls and terrified cries scraped at her eardrums despite the wood and brick barrier between Cora, her older brother, and her niece. She straightened her back and made a decision, knowing that all the commotion inside would be enough to distract Derek from stopping her. 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles half-heartedly skimmed through a script on his couch. His TV was on, letting loose a steady stream of background noise, but most of his attention was occupied by an annoying conversation in his Twitter DMs. 

> LizardKing: when r u gonna change ur cringy twitter handle, stilinski? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: depends 
> 
> xLittleRedx: when are you gonna change YOUR cringy twitter handle 
> 
> xLittleRedx: you were the lizard like six movies ago. red is my signature color. 
> 
> LizardKing: >:P 
> 
> LizardKing: im gonna be back in town in a week. u gonna pick me up? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: no time. im busy. 
> 
> LizardKing: come pick me uuuppp binch 
> 
> xLittleRedx: jax can you fucking read? 
> 
> LizardKing: are you comng or not?? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: *sent attached image*  
>    
>  [ **Image Description:** Micheal Scott from the Office hisses angrily at an off-screen character with his hands steepled on one side of his face to hide his expression from the rest of the room. **Caption:** I'll kill you.] 
> 
> LizardKing: *sent attached image*  
>    
>  [ **Image Description:** Still image of Drew Scanlon blinking incredulously.] 
> 
> LizardKing: wat do u think u can do to me, little omega? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: oh, whittemore. despite my twitter handle, we both know that nothing about me is little. 
> 
> LizardKing: oh fuck off! i dont know shit about u, bitch 
> 
> xLittleRedx: anywayy im busy 
> 
> xLittleRedx: gotta go over my script 
> 
> LizardKing: but stiiiiiiiiles its just some small supporting role 
> 
> LizardKing: im ur best ex. u rly gonna leave me alone @ the airport? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: hm. i have a ton of exes. who are you again? :p 
> 
> LizardKing: *sent attached image*  
>    
>  [ **Image Description:** Close up of Barack Obama's eyes. He seems dissatisfied. There is a menacing red filter over the image.] 
> 
> LizardKing: uppity bitch just you wait til i get my hands on you again!!!! 
> 
> LizardKing: wait no 
> 
> LizardKing: ugh whATEVER I'LL KILL YOU 

Stiles smirked and closed his laptop, setting it on the cluttered coffee table in front of him. He had gotten through a few more pages of the script when his cellphone began to ring. He didn't recognize the number but figured it could be a member of the film crew calling, so he picked the call up immediately. 

"Hello, how can I help-" 

"Uh, hi! This is Stiles, right? Hey, so there's a _situation_ happening at Platinum Place right now!" A distressed woman interrupted him. 

"Hm. Yeah, who is this?" 

The woman sputtered, "It's me- Cora Hale! We met at the hospital! Anyway, Platinum is the main Hale residence and Little Princess is in trouble, so can you come over, like... now?" 

A muffled crash came from Cora's end of the line and Stiles tensed. Cora sounded disheveled on a level that he couldn't imagine her reaching easily. This situation she was calling about might very well be serious. Stiles stood fluidly from the couch, already walking to pick up his keys. He calmly stated, "Please send me the exact address. I'll be there as soon as I can!." 

Cora let out a long, relieved sigh, "Thank _God_!" 

Stiles felt his heart clench. He didn't understand why he was responding so strongly, but he knew that if something bad happened to Babywulf that he could have prevented, Stiles would be heartbroken beyond compare. He had only known the pup for a few days now, but she had carved a spot out for herself in his heart and couldn't be removed no matter how hard Stiles tried. 

The address that Cora gave him was pretty far away from Stiles's apartment and getting a rideshare or a taxi would take around forty-five minutes, so Stiles forwent all of that hassle and took his motorcycle. He weaved his way through traffic and sped through shortcuts are car wouldn't be able to take, which cut the ride down from forty-five minutes to a little over ten minutes. 

The entirety of the Precious Isles protected properties that Platinum Place resided within gleamed and towered over Stiles as he approached. The luxurious mansions made him feel small. Cora must have already called ahead to the guards at the front check-in and the ones stationed at the Platinum Place gate though because Stiles barely had to flash them his ID before they ushered him in. There was already a nervous-looking maid waiting for him at the front door when he pulled up outside. 

The trembling girl swallowed audibly, "If you would please follow me." 

Stiles nodded at her and pulled his helmet off, trying to hide his discomfort under a smile. When they entered the house, Stiles could clearly hear the screeching and clamoring that had been muffled during his phone call with Cora. The air was so saturated with discomforted pheromones that Stiles feared the scent might sink into the furniture and the house would smell unsettled forever. He barely noticed the mess as he dropped his helmet on the ground and rushed to where he could hear Babywulf yowling. He crushed the shattered remains of a flowerpot beneath his combat boots as he ran down a long hallway and skidded to a stop at the door to an office space just in time to catch Derek cornering Babywulf between a wall and two towering file cabinets. His face transformed into a horrendous morph between man and vicious wolf and his eyes glowed blood red under deep shadows cast by his heavy brow. He snatched Babywulf out from between the cabinets and held the frantically writhing pup in the air by the back of her shirt. His elongated canines glinted as he spoke, " _Melody Hale, for the last time-_ " 

"That's _enough_!" Stiles stormed into the office and plucked Babywulf right out of her father's grasp. The pup flinched and struggled against his hold until she realized whose arms she was in. Her teary eyes widened and she buried her face in Stiles's neck, breathing in lungfuls of his fearless pine forest scent. His heart ached as he held the trembling pup tight, releasing a soft wave of soothing pheromones for her, "It's okay, Babywulf, don't cry. It's okay, sweetheart." 

"When did you get here?" Derek Hale's eyes were wide and his face was slack with shock. He jerked away from the omega when he realized he was still half transformed with his fangs and claws showing. 

When he heard the alpha speak, he straightened his black and glared at him unflinchingly. He tightened his grip on Babywulf and hissed at Derek, "And, _you_ , Mr. Hale! It may not be my place to say this as an outsider, but there is something _wrong_ with the way you're raising your daughter!" 

He took a threatening step toward Derek, thrusting a pointed finger at his chest. Derek was so shocked by the contact that he stumbled back. Stiles sneered, "Young pups need _love, affection, and patience_ , Mr. Hale! Melody even more so than the average child- she was involved in a traumatic incident _not even three days ago! And this is disregarding the fact that she's already been through a lot before that!_ " 

The omega punctuated every sentence with another shove and soon the alpha was flush against the wall where Babywulf had been cornered mere moments ago. The air around them seemed to sharpen and spark as the omega continued shooting off words like his tongue was a machine gun, " _You know all of this! Look at how scared she is! Your own daughter! You are her **father**! **Don't you know you're all she has?!**_ " 

Derek's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he couldn't think of anything to say. The only sounds in the room were Stiles's deep breaths, Melody's hiccups and whines, and the rush of blood pumping in the alpha's own ears. 

"I... I'm sorry," Derek whispered. 

"Holy shit." 

Both the alpha and omega jumped at the sound of a foreign voice. Their heads swiveled to see Cora, eyes wide and mouth agape on the other side of the room. She straightened herself from her hunched, hesitant position and breathed a sigh of relief. It was refreshing to hear her brother admitting to a genuine mistake for once in his life, even if she had to call in reinforcements. Even Little Princess was mostly calm now with her little hands clenched in Stiles's shirt and nuzzling her face against his neck and shirt. 

The omega realized the position he had pushed Derek into and backed away a few steps, coughing lightly. He smoothed his hand over the back of Babywulf's head and resisted the urge to scent mark her. The tense atmosphere seemed to dissipate between the four all at once. Stiles finally looked around the room and noticed how torn up everything looked and how haphazard the two alphas seemed. 

"So, um," Stiles started, "Can- does anybody wanna tell me what happened? I thought everything was fine this morning?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Werewolves aren't publicly known in this AU. It works the same as in canon, sort of. I know Stiles sort of didn't react to Derek's scary no-eyebrows monster face. We'll take care of that later.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and a special shout out to all of those who have kudoed and commented!
> 
> It took me a stupid amount of time to figure out how to do those blockquotes. i had to learn the entirety of html5 in high school and for some reason i couldnt remember a damn thing lol. cant believe ppl wasted their tax dollars on me (that was a joke. free public education is extremely important and should, as a rule, be supported)  
> also, i'm thinking about how tragic it is that i didn't make a hadestown reference in the second chapter. oh well.  
> If you wanna talk or get updates on the fic or whatever other bullshit I pull, you can visit me @ hungryliar on tumblr.  
> First those who had trouble reading the chat part--  
> (X= xLittleRedx, L=LizardKing)  
> L: When are you going to change your cringy Twitter handle, Stilinski  
> X: Depends. When are you going to change YOUR cringy Twitter handle?  
> X: You were the Lizard 6 movies ago. Red is my signature color.  
> L: 😋 I'm going to be in town next week. Will you pick me up?  
> X: No time. I'm busy.  
> L: Come pick me up, bitch  
> X: Jax, can you fucking read?  
> L: Are you coming or not?  
> X: (I'll Kill You meme)  
> L: (White Guy Blinking meme)  
> L: What do you think you can do to me, little omega?  
> X: Oh, Whittemore, we both know that nothing about me is little.  
> L: Oh, fuck off! I don't know shit about you, bitch!  
> X: Anyway I'm busy. I have to go over my script.  
> L: But Stiles, it's just some small supporting role, right? I'm your best ex-boyfriend. Are you really going to leave me alone at the airport?  
> X: I have a ton to exes. Who are you again?  
> L: (Then Perish meme)  
> L: Just you wait until I get my hands on you again. Wait, no. Whatever. I'll kill you!
> 
> (I take my driver's test tomorrow. Pray for me lol)


	10. whatever you wish for, you keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cora might be having second thoughts on the whole 'Help Derek Get Mated' plan.  
> Derek, all things considered, is taking things pretty well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm HungryLiar, and all that I've communicated to you with this fic is that I have bad taste in music, delusions of grandeur, and contempt for capitalism.
> 
> chapter title is from 'A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes' from the Cinderella movie.
> 
> no chapter warnings i think.  
> if you'd like me to tag something, please just leave a comment and i'll fix it as soon as i can!

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 9- whatever you wish for you keep_

. 

. 

. 

The main Hale residence at Platinum Place lay in complete shambles and as housekeepers swarmed through unoccupied places as quietly as possible, cleaning what they could and throwing away what they couldn't, they opened windows in each room to let the acrid scent of distress pheromones fade away. Stiles stood tall, listening to the sound of broken glass crunching under his boots and Babywulf's soft whimpering as she lay in his arms, keeping an unbreakable grip on the omega. He resisted the urge to wilt under the intense eyes of the two youngest Hale siblings. 

"So, um," Stiles started, "Can, uh- does anybody wanna tell me what happened? I thought everything was fine this morning, but I guess...?" 

He trailed off. Cora cleared her throat to his right and shifted her hand to her hip, expression completely exhausted, "What do you _think_? Little Princess was missing you already and Derek told her she couldn't call again tonight. Princess threw a fit and Derek got frustrated because, honestly, her tantrums are a terrible habit in the making. We were just at a stalemate when you got here." 

"Wha- really? She did all this because she couldn't call me? Stiles blinked and looked around. He hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings before, but now he could truly appreciate the pure havoc that had been caused. He surmised that Babywulf had sort of imprinted on him when they met, but he didn't think the effect would be so strong. Mr. Hale had said as such, but Stiles couldn't really take him seriously without proof. 

"I mean. Yeah. I think you're seriously underestimating your influence," Cora cried. Her face lit up as she remembered something, " Remember the storeroom at the bar? Princess almost tore the throat out of everyone who tried to touch you when we found you passed out. Derek ended up having to carry you to the hospital himself." 

Stiles shot a quick glance at Derek. He almost couldn't believe that the aloof, severe alpha before him would personally carry him. 

Cora continued, "Little Princess thought you died when she woke up at the hospital and you weren't there anymore. She ad a freak out there, too, and wouldn't calm down until she got to read your note. The whole reason they went over to your place last night is because Princess held a hunger strike! She threw a tantrum today because another hunger strike wouldn't since she ate all her food after your call and she knew it wouldn't work again!" 

Stiles tensed up, carding his fingers through Babywulf's hair to calm his nerves. From the way Cora explained it, technically all of their problems with Babywulf since the day they met were his fault. He took a few moments to further process all the information that was thrown at him so suddenly. Stiles tapped Babywulf on her back and hoisted her higher up on his hip, "Hey, sweetheart, can we talk for a second?" 

Babywulf lifted her head from his shoulder and met his gaze curiously, large eyes gleaming. 

"Did you do all that so you could see me again?" Stiles's voice was soft and he kept a kind look on his face, hoping she'd answer truthfully. 

Babywulf nodded. 

Stiles couldn't help the slight downturn of his lips, "Did you know that what you did was wrong?" 

Babywulf shook her head slowly and a small frown formed on her face. She was obviously confused. 

Stiles hummed, realizing now why Derek was so strict with his daughter. The pup had likely been spoiled for her whole life and was always getting her way. She'd never had to deal with being denied something she truly wanted. 

Stiles's gaze hardened a bit, "Well, I'm telling you now. What you did tonight was wrong. Good pups don't throw tantrums like that, even when they don't get what they want. You won't do this again, right?" 

Babywulf nodded solemnly. Stiles raised a skeptical brow at her, "Do you promise?" 

She nodded again, this time with her tiny fist hovering over her heart. 

Derek's' expression became troubled as he stood behind them. Little Princess was a handful and she was taciturn more often than now, but when she made a promise, she would always keep it. Dr. Deaton had shared several ways for the Hales to try to cut down on Princess's more extreme habits, like her hunger strikes, tantrums, and fits of locking herself away, but they never seemed to work. His parents were always against the concept of punishing their precious granddaughter in any way. Talia and William always tried to wait out Princess's fits, but they'd always end up giving in to her halfway through. 

Derek would be put out that she was so obedient for Stiles if he weren't so damn relieved. 

"Alright, I believe you, Princess!" Stiles smiled warmly at the pup. " It's getting pretty late, don't you think? Let's get you to sleep. I think I know a few more kiddie songs." 

Babywulf beamed up at him, obedient and eager. She settled her head on Stiles's chest with her ear pressed against his heart. 

"Her bedroom is upstairs. You'll know it when you see it," Derek tried to give the omega at least a general direction to go. Stiles nodded in confirmation and ambled away, rubbing his hand soothingly over Babywulf's back and humming low. 

_"Don't, don't, don't let's start. This is the worst part._

_Could you believe for all the world that you're my precious little girl?_

_Don't, don't, don't let's start. I've got a weak heart._

_And I don't get around how you get around."_

Derek and Cora listened to Stiles's soft voice flowing through the halls and corridors of Platinum Place until he finally reached Babywulf's room and shut the door behind them.

Cora rounded on her brother and pushed herself into his personal space. There was a frantic gleam in her wide eyes and her voice came out pitched two octaves higher than normal, "Okay! I know you said you didn't want me to look into him because you don't want to invade his privacy and you like him a lot and he's good for Little Princess and blah blah blah, _but Derek_ , he looked you right in the eye while you were wolfed out and he _didn't even blink!_ Laura said there was something off about him and I thought she was just being big sister, _but no!! The omega's not normal, Derek!_ " 

"Quiet down," Derek frowned.

"Quiet down? You want me to _quiet down_?!" Cora seethed. She carded her fingers through her hair and backed away, too completely incredulous to stand being so close anymore, "Your crush just went from cute to crazy! It was fine when we thought he was just some normal guy, but after tonight, Derek, I don't- Humans don't just _not react_ when they see a werewolf. We don't exist to them! If he already knows, then there's some pretty important information about himself and his life that _we need to know_! And we don't! Derek, _you don't know anything about him!_ " 

"That's funny. He said that, too," Derek's tone stayed even. He leaned back against the wall, straining to hear the last lilting notes of Stiles's singing seeping through the crack between Princess's door and the floor. Most of the house was soundproofed, but he was glad that there were a few flaws in the design. Cora's heartbeat was so loud with her standing right in front of him, thumping erratically, but Derek couldn't feel anything but calm, "He'll tell me everything when he's ready." 

Cora laughed, but it was bitter and wan. She didn't know whether to be furious with her brother or to pity him. "I don't get how you can be so cavalier about this when you've been burned before." 

"Mn. You're right. _I've_ been burned." 

Cora grimaced. She didn't like the way Derek's tone made her skin feel cold despite the strict climate control in the house. 

"I've been burned and it hurt-- it hurt me and Melody, which is something I'll never forgive myself for, and things will never be the same. But it's in the past. I'm ready to move on," He said. He seemed so soft when he opened his eyes and looked down at his sister, "I have good instincts and they say he's the one, Cora. He's my omega-- _my mate_. You were happy for me an hour ago. If you've changed your mind so quickly, then I really don't need your help. I will tell you once-- do not search beyond what you have already found out about Stiles. I don't want to scare him off." 

Cora swallowed. She walked over to the desk that was still strewn with papers Little Princess had pulled out of their folders during her rampage and she slumped into the big, plush spinning chair behind it. She squinted at her brother who was still leaning on the wall and she sighed, "Fine. Fine. Okay, you win. I trust you." 

Derek nodded, "Thank you." 

"But I'm still telling Laura what happened." 

Derek's unwitting smile twisted into a small grimace. He scratched his neck lightly, "That's... fair. As long as she doesn't tell Mom." 

. 

. 

. 

A few minutes later, Derek left Cora to make her phone call in the office. He took a quick walk around the house to catalog just how many things he'd need to replace after his daughter's destructive tantrum. The overnight housekeepers were efficient. There wasn't a single speck of glass or dirt on the floor and every tipped-over table or fallen picture frame had been put back in its proper place. After assessing the damage, he headed upstairs to Little Princess's room. Stiles had just reached the door as Derek was opening it. 

"Oh!" Stiles jumped. He fidgeted with his hands nervously, looking everywhere but Derek's face, "Hello, M-- Alpha Hale. Little Princess just fell asleep." 

Derek nodded. He stepped back and opened the door directly across from Princess's, "Please follow me." 

Stiles grimaced and closed Princess's door behind him. The room Derek took him to was another bedroom. From the lack of any personal accents and unnatural cleanliness, it was either a guest room or was unused for some other reason. Derek gestured to a plush burgundy armchair and waited for Stiles to sit before he pulled a chair from the desk against the wall closer to sit right across from him. 

Stiles felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck. Derek's gaze was always so intense and wholly consuming. He felt like the alpha was looking through him to find every single flaw. Hell, he might even be able to smell them on him. His voice wavered, "I, um. I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I'm not sorry for what I said, but I don't really know why I thought yelling would do anything but escalate the situation. Thank you for not yelling back by the way. And I'm sorry that Princess did those things. I know you said she liked me, but I didn't think- I probably just made the situation worse. It'd be easier for you all in the long run if I stay away, I think. I'm rambling. Sorry about that, too. I can leave now if you want. Or, no, you probably have stuff you want to say, right?" 

"Yes," Derek leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles. He let the silence sit between them for a moment before expanding his reply, "Were you close by before you came here?" 

Stiles blinked. That wasn't the kind of question he was expecting. Words spilled out without his conscious thought as he continued to reel, "No. I was still at my apartment, but I just sped over on my motorcycle. It's fast." 

Derek's face stayed impassive, but his eyes seemed to gleam with amusement, "Speeding is dangerous." 

"I mean, I have my license. I'm pretty good at it, too! Motorcycling, I mean." 

"Of course you are. Cora called you over?" 

"Yeah. She just said that there was something happening. I thought Babywulf might be in danger or something, so..." 

"I understand," Derek nodded. All of the sudden, all of the languidness dropped from Derek like a leaden sheet and Stiles tensed up with anticipation. "Mr. Argent, I have an awfully large favor I'd like to ask of you." 

Stiles took in a shuddering breath. He kept his eyes down submissively, knowing he'd probably overstayed his welcome and that there would be grave consequences to angering the alpha any further, "Alpha Hale, please feel free to make your request. I will try to comply as long as it's within my abilities." 

The Hale pack had not only social, financial, and political power, but they also had tremendous influence in the underground. Now knowing that at least some of them were werewolves, Stiles guessed that they had to be important figures in the supernatural world as well. He couldn't really afford to say no to anything this alpha asked of him. 

Derek's gaze shifted from Stiles to Little Princess's door and a contemplative air settled over them both, "The degree to which Little Princess imprinted on you has surprised us all. Her emotional state has been much more erratic since you two were locked in the bar. Please stay with us for a while, if only until she recovers." 

Stiles almost choked on his own tongue, "You- you want me to stay here? Like move in?" 

Derek nodded, completely unfazed. Stiles couldn't help the frenzied laugh that spilled from his mouth, "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, I can come over whenever Babywulf needs me. You have my number, right?" 

"Yes," the alpha conceded, "but there are a lot of unknown factors we'd have to deal with that way. It'd be dangerous for you to speed here on your bike at night again if there's an emergency. It's not feasible for me to keep bringing Little Princess to visit you with my identity, either. Also... You know more about us than most people do. I don't think it's too strange for me to want to keep an eye on you for a while." 

"I understand," Stiles grimaced. He made an effort not to let him pheromones signal the mounting stress he was feeling. 

"I know this puts you on the spot and I apologize for that. Would you like some time to think about this?" The alpha stayed courteous, but it didn't make the trembling in Stiles's hands slow. 

"No, I..." Stiles sighed. "Alpha Hale, I-" 

The door across the hall slammed open, cutting Stiles off. Babywulf stumbled out, eyes wide and dotted with tears. She ran into the room with the two adults and only calmed when her eyes landed on Stiles. She crawled up into his lap and buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder, breathing in lungfuls of his scent. Stiles could feel the trembles tearing through her little body. He wrapped his arms around her and rocked lightly, "Babywulf, sweetheart, what's wrong? Why'd you wake up?" 

The pup only tightened her hold around Stiles and whimpered quietly. The way her roasted marshmallow scent was marred by sharp distress pheromones made his heart throb painfully. He rubbed his hands soothingly over her back, "Shh, shhh, Babywulf, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here. Don't be afraid, baby. It's all gonna be okay, baby, I promise. I promise, honey, shhh." 

Before, he'd avoided pups like the plague, but he couldn't bring himself to pull away and stop caring about Babywulf. The thought of letting go of the pup right now was viscerally repulsive to him in this moment. He stood from the chair so he could rock her more effectively and began singing lowly as he walked back across the hall to her room. 

"Baby, I'm running out of kid-safe songs. I, um. Oh, I know!--" 

" _A dream is a wish you heart makes when you're fast asleep._

_In dreams you will lose your heartaches._

_Whatever you wish for you keep!_

_Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will come smiling through..._

_No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing_

_The wish that you wish will come true..."_

__  


He sang to her for almost fifteen minutes before she drifted back off to sleep, running his fingers through her hair and emitting comforting scents for her as he did. Even then it was hard to untangle her fingers from their grip in his shirt and lay her back into bed. Derek watched the omega silently, still sat in the desk chair in the room across from Babywulf's.

He didn't know when, but Cora had snuck past Stiles into the room with Derek at some point. She was leaning over the back of the desk chair and the two were trading furtive whispers back and forth. They kept their eyes trained on him as he walked back into the room. The omega hesitated for a few moments, but the fight left him when he thought of the way Babywulf clung to his clothes just moments ago. He took in a deep breath and sat back down in the burgundy armchair they'd left open for him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, said, "Alright, Alpha Hale. I accept your request. Please think of it is as repayment for how Babywulf saved me last time." 

A tenseness Stiles's hadn't even noticed corded in Derek's shoulders fell away from the alpha and his face relaxed, "Thank you."

"Babywulf might wake up again tonight, so I'll just stay here. I didn't really bring anything with me, though." 

Derek nodded. "I'll bring some things up for you tonight and you can collect what you need from your apartment tomorrow. This is your room now. Please make yourself at home." 

The alpha stood from his seat and walked away without another word. Cora lingered behind for a few seconds longer. She blinked slowly at Stiles and spoke drily, "Just like that, huh?" 

"Cora?" Derek called from somewhere down the hall. The younger alpha rolled her eyes and left to follow her brother. She closed the door behind her, leaving Stiles alone in this strange place with only his thoughts for company. 

_'So,'_ Stiles mused internally, _'I guess I live here now.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Stiles sings to Melody this chapter:  
> 'Don't Let's Start' by They Might Be Giants  
> 'A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes' by Disney (idk someone in disney idek)  
> Dont let's start makes me sad because it reminds me of my sister and I miss her :[  
>    
> A good seventh of this fic just consists of the phrase 'Derek nodded' and that makes me immeasurably sad.  
>    
> I'm probably gonna go through and completely rewrite this chapter later on. It won't affect the overall plot that much because the end result will be the same, but I'll notify you if/when it actually happens if you wanna see the changes made. I didn't actually have a plan for how I was gonna change the move in scene before I wrote this so I kept it mostly the same as in the Full Marks canon. 
> 
> I've got about 5 days to write a short story to submit to that lit journal if I want them to publish me again. I got 3 of my entries in last time and I'm gonna be highly pissed if I don't get at least 3 in this time too. Wish me luck!
> 
> Or don't, I guess. 
> 
> Mm! I put out a BnHA one shot a little while ago. It's edgy and dumb, but I liked writing it. Man, you forget how much you like a lot of stuff when you're busy doing stuff you're 'supposed' to do. 
> 
>   
> I should like. Say this stuff on tumblr instead of in the notes. No one likes their .mobi text-to-speeches being interrupted by long ANs inthe middle of the night. My bad.
> 
> Visit me on tumblr @ hungryliar if you want. Okay I love you bye bye
> 
> Edit: ah, fuck, there's so many mistakes kn this chapter murder me ah fuck


	11. Look at you go! (I just adore you-)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles and Melody have a quiet morning in, followed by a near fashion disaster!  
> It's good that Derek is so good at taking care of things, isn't it?
> 
> Guest starring: **Amy Fucking Nelson, everybody**
> 
> no chapter warnings. not really.  
> i have the urge to warn you about cursing, but i'm pretty sure there've been swear words in every chapter thus far and at this point, you're inured to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no chapter warnings for this one, but if you'd like something tagged or warned, please do let me know!
> 
> chapter title today is from **Love Like You** from Steven Universe  
> speaking of which, does anyone have the deets on SU: Future s2??? Because I don't believe they're just gonna end the epilogue series like that. They can't! It's illegal!!! Rebecca, I'm bald!!!!

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 10-_

. 

. 

. 

When Derek returned to Stiles's room a few minutes later, he had a pair of silk purple pajamas and an unopened pack of toothbrushes in his hand. The omega was sat right where he'd left him, appearing rather dazed. Derek suppressed a warm smile, but affection still shone in his eyes. He cleared his throat to get Stiles's attention, "Here are some clothes and a toothbrush you can use for tonight. There are clean towels and unused soaps in the bathroom down the hall. I'll have the room decorated to your liking in the morning." 

Stiles jerked to attention and grimaced, waving the alpha's offer away, "You don't have to do that, sir. I'll only be here for a few days at most, right? There's no need to redecorate-" 

"It's no trouble," Derek insisted. He took a ring of keys out of his pocket and placed it on top of the pajamas before holding it out to Stiles, "You'll need the house keys as well. I'll text you the passcode for the main entrance. The one with the red sticker is for the attic. Princess likes to hide up there sometimes, so you'll need it. The one with the blue sticker is-" 

"Wait, wait, wait- Alpha Hale, you are putting _a lot_ of trust in me right now and I can't tell you in all honesty that that's a good idea," Stiles hurriedly interrupted. There were almost a dozen keys on that ring! "Aren't you worried I'll try to rob you or something? Or I might be... I don't know! A corporate spy!" 

The alpha raised an eyebrow, "Are you?" 

"Well, no, but-" 

"And if you want something, all you have to do is ask. I'll have someone help you move it." 

"I don't- I was only joking!" Stiles coughed. He couldn't believe this man! He took the proffered clothes and keys reluctantly. 

Just as Stiles turned to put the clothes on the bed, the alpha casually dropped another key onto the pile, "It'll be inconvenient to catch a cab to work. Use this car." 

Stiles blinked a few times as if that could make the keys disappear from his hands. He had a sinking sensation in his stomach. Derek was thoughtlessly giving him so many valuable things when he'd only be around for a week at most reminded him of kept omegas and mistress characters from the daytime soaps he watched with his mother as a child. Although, no sugar daddy would give up the keys to their main residence and access to his only child, right? 

A discomforted squawk left Stiles's throat. He thought back to when he'd first met the alpha-- he'd proposed during their first conversation! Stiles thought the alpha would let that silly thought go, but this felt too much like sharing space and resources with a mated alpha! 

Stiles thought he'd grown to understand alphas-- what they were like, how they thought, what they do in any given situation-- but he didn't understand Derek Hale one bit. 

He didn't know if he'd dug his own grave with one word spoken in a moment of weakness. 

Stiles put all of those thoughts out of his mind, steeling himself for the days ahead. There was never any use in worrying for the future. What would come would come and it would all need to be met head-on. He remembered how distressed Babywulf was when she woke up without him half an hour ago. She'd probably sleep fitfully without him for the rest of the night, so Stiles decided to save them both the trouble and sleep in her room just in case. 

. 

. 

. 

In the early hours in the morning, when the moon still hung high in the sky, Babywulf's door creaked open. Near silent footsteps made their way to the foot of the bed, casting a dark shadow over the two sleeping figures beneath the covers. Stiles and Babywulf looked soft and completely at peace under the dim light of her bedside lamp. Babywulf had curled into Stiles's side and laid her head on his chest. His hand cradled the back of her neck and she rose slightly and fell with each breath he took. 

The man came closer, around to the side of the bed. He reached out slowly but stopped himself at the last moment. His hand hovered just over the omega's cheek, so close that he could feel the heat radiating from him. 

He just knew that if he started, there would be no stopping. 

' _Stiles Argent_ ', he mused, ' _we have long days ahead of us._ ' 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles didn't expect to sleep too well in a strange place, but he woke up surprisingly well-rested and refreshed. He woke up naturally with the morning light rather than needing his alarms. There hadn't even been a nightmare to interrupt his peace throughout the night. 

He found Babywulf already awake and alert when he woke, sitting next to him with a book cradled in her lap. 

If he hadn't woken up in her bed, Stiles would have believed he'd completely imagined her tantrum last night. She seemed so peaceful and well-behaved right then.

The omega rose, stretching long and cat-like, and then ruffled the young pup's hair. He gave her a dopey smile, "Good morning, Babywulf! I don't have work today, so we can hang out all day long!" 

Babywulf leaned into his affection like a flower chasing the sun. Although she didn't make a sound, the way her eyes widened and shone with glee at Stiles's words warmed his heart. A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. 

"Ah!" Stiles squealed and swept the girl into a warm hug. She soaked up the attention, confused but overjoyed nonetheless. Her smile widened and Stiles nuzzled their foreheads together, "Princess, you should smile more! You're too darn cute!" 

After washing up and getting dressed for the day, the two made their way downstairs to see breakfast already laid out for them. Stiles didn't see Derek around and none of the servants milling around mentioned that they should wait for him to eat, so the omega figured he must have left for work already. Hale Corporation was an enormous endeavor after all so he must be a busy man. 

Stiles worried that he wouldn't know how to keep Babywulf entertained after breakfast since he really had little prior experience with pups. He also knew very little about the Hale child, as they had really only met a few days ago and he had no idea what she was like outside of the short amount of time he'd interacted with her. The whole situation might devolve into a nightmarish tantrum the likes of which he intervened in last night and the consequences could be beyond dire. His fears ended up being for nothing, though. Babywulf wasn't a fussy child at all. They spent the rest of their morning together in companionable relative silence. Stiles and Babywulf sat sidled up next to each other on the living room floor next to the coffee table. Stiles read through his script, making small notes here and there, while the pup switched between coloring on a few pages of loose paper and reading some of her own books. 

Servants passed through the room a few times to drop off snacks and drinks, near-silent every time they came, but the two were otherwise left alone. They seemed terrified of making noise and interrupting the atmosphere. Stiles wondered if they were directed to act that way because he was here or if this was the way things ran in Platinum Place regularly. Babywulf did seem to prefer silence. 

Thomas, Platinum Place's steward and principle caretaker, kept a close eye on them all throughout the morning. Stiles's presence made him nervous that the omega was manipulating CEO Hale or Little Miss Hale somehow. CEO Hale never had anyone over except for family, and even that was on rare occasions, but this omega was already lounging in their living room without a care in the world. Thomas knew that CEO Hale gave the omega keys to basically everything in the house except the safe. He was the one who prepared them last night! He watched over them to see if the omega acted off with Little Miss Hale, but nothing seemed amiss. 

Of course, he could be biding his time, endearing himself to the Hale family before striking. There were countless people out there who coveted the proverbial spot at CEO Hale's side. From Thomas's view, it wouldn't be too hard for Stiles Argent to snatch that role. CEO Hale seemed to trust the omega and Cora at least tolerated him at least, and though those two and their intentions were always inscrutable, they would never leave Little Miss Hale's health or safety to chance ever again- and that pup absolutely adored this omega. Though Thomas trusted the Hales and their choices implicitly, he couldn't help keeping his guard up about the omega. 

Two hours passed by like this, without a single person noticing the passage of time. 

Stiles was leafing through the final few pages of his script when Babywulf crawled in his lap, seeking attention. She held a picture in her hands demurely, wanting to show it off but still afraid of the omega's reaction. He smiled and blinked at the pup curiously, "You finished with your picture, yet? Mind if I take a look, sweetheart?" 

Babywulf held the paper up, head bowed and blushing lightly. Stiles breathed in a soft gasp. Babywulf was so small that he expected her sketches were going to be the typical 'smiling sunshine and stick people' fare that all children went through. What the pup was holding in her hands was more akin to amateur expressionist artwork. It appeared juvenile as he expected in the fact that the picture was done in vibrant wax crayon with unsteady lines and uneven shading- but what kid even considers shading their pictures at five years old? Stiles himself could barely color inside the lines. His eyes brightened when he realized that the sketch was of _him_. Babywulf had doodled his likeness in an almost Fauvistic style, catching the highlight of his cheeks in neon pink interrupted by bright orange for his freckles and several different shades of brown swirled in his eyes. 

Babywulf hunched in on herself as Stiles continued to gape wordlessly at the picture. She was beginning to think he didn't like it. 

"Babywulf, this is... _oh my goodness_ , Babywulf, you're _amazing!_ " Stiles clapped his hands together, smile bright and genuine. He accidentally let the right hold he had on his pheromones at all times slip a bit because of his sudden and intense preoccupation with praising the shy pup before him. Within seconds, the room flooded with the sweet, subtle scent of affection and pride, "Can I take a picture of it to use as my phone screensaver? Please? I love it so much! You're so talented! Oh my goodness, does your daddy know? We have to show him!" 

Stiles continued to gush over the pup, showering her with tickles and compliments. He was beyond impressed and secretly more than flattered. The pup was extremely skilled for her age and she chose to use _Stiles_ as a model to display her talent. He imagined that what he was feeling right now must be similar to how Mona Lisa felt when da Vinci debuted her famous portrait. 

The pup's face turned a brilliant pink and she held the picture out to him. She looked everywhere but into the omega's eyes. Stiles blinked, "Wha- it's for me?" 

Babywulf nodded. 

Stiles cradled the picture in his hands for a moment and then placed it on top of his script on the coffee table delicately. In one smooth, swift motion, he rose up from his seat and swooped Babywulf into his arms. He spun the two of them around, Babywulf held high above his head, until they were both dizzy and shrieking with peals of laughter. He slumped down onto the couch with her cradled close to his chest and laid a loud, smacking kiss on her forehead, "Thank you! Thank you! Ah! I love it so much! You're the best, Babywulf!" 

The two lay giggling on the couch still when Stiles heard a pair of footsteps coming towards them. Babywulf peered over the back of the couch, still glowing with joy. Stiles lifted his head up as well to see Derek Hale meandering down the stairs, looking as though he'd just woken up. The omega swallowed. Seeing Derek's killer bed head and dark five o'clock shadow hit Stiles like a truck. The Alpha always looked astounding in his day-to-day suave and domineering businessman getup, but to see that he was just as sexy looking unkempt in threadbare sweatpants and a dark blue henley that gave him sweater paws? It wasn't fair. An omega's ovaries could only handle so much. Stiles made sure not to let any of his thoughts spill out in his pheromones. 

The omega sat dazed for a while before he regained his wits and good social graces. He coughed, embarrassed, "Good morning, Alpha Hale. I, um, thought you'd left already. You're not going to work today?" 

"I took the day off," Derek nodded, yawning deeply and rubbing the sleep dust out of his eyes. 

Stiles counted to five in his head in an effort to reign himself in. Alphas like Derek Hale aren't allowed to be hot _and_ cute at the same time. It had to be illegal. This was illegal. 

As the omega was stewing in his own thoughts, Derek sidled up closer to the two and looked over their activities on the coffee table. He bent over to pick up the picture Babywulf had drawn and raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Wow. Princess has never drawn another person before." 

"Really? Well, then I'm absolutely, positively honored!" Stiles's heart felt warm. The pup nuzzled into his side again, flush with pleasure at his praises. 

"Have you two eaten lunch yet? It's about that time, right?" Derek asked. 

"No, not yet," Stiles began, but was interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. The caller ID flashed 'Jennifer Blake'. What, had she arranged another two-bit role for him? Stiles frowned and untangled himself from Babywulf's grasp to leave the couch. "Sorry, I've got to take this." 

He took a few steps away from the couch and answered the call, "Hello, Ms. Blake." 

"Stiles? _Distant Heaven_ is holding an opening ceremony at the Grand Pearl Hotel. It starts at 12 PM. Don't be late." 

"Wha- 12 PM? Like 12 PM today?!" the omega sputtered. 

"Yes, today." 

Stiles hissed, close to pulling his hair out, " _Why_ are you only telling me right now? It' already almost 11! How can I possibly get there on time?! I don't even have anything to wear!" 

"Hm," his manager hummed, "You probably should have thought about that before. Anyway, you'll have to deal with that on your own. I'm busy. Don't disappoint, Stiles." 

And with that, she cut the line. Stiles roared with frustration, almost throwing his phone at the opposite wall, "Jennifer Blake, you absolute fucking _rude ass walnut brained, heartless, petty, soggy toast bitch_! _Fuck!_ " 

He breathed in deeply and counted to ten a few times. He heard the floor creak and suddenly remembered that he was not alone in that living room. He wasn't even in his own apartment. Fuck! 

Babywulf and Derek Hale both stared at Stiles stunned into silence. The omega curled in on himself anxiously, only hoping that the floor would open up and swallow him whole at this moment. How could he have let Blake agitate him so much? Stiles hadn't planned on pretending to be modest and pure omega in front of Derek anyway, but he could have forgone cursing in front of Babywulf. 

"Um," He walked back over to the couch and crouched so he could look Babywulf in the eye. He cleared his throat, not bothering to stifle the embarrassed blush staining his cheeks, "Princess, let's just pretend that you didn't hear me saying any of that, okay? I'm sorry you saw me yelling. I don't want you to think it's okay to scream at other people or call them bad names like that. It's just that the person I was talking to just now is very evil and... well, she acts like she has a walnut for a brain!" 

Babywulf blinked and nodded, but it was obvious that she didn't fully understand. 

Sparks of laughter danced in Derek's eyes as he asked, "What happened?" 

Stiles grit his teeth, " _Distant Heaven_ 's opening ceremony is today at 12 and my manager only called me now to tell me about it. It's going to take 50 minutes to get there from here! And I didn't bring any clothes for an occasion like this and I have to do my makeup and now I'm going to have to show up on camera bare-faced like some dingy nobody!" 

"What do you mean? You always look amazing." 

Stiles was stunned for a moment. His heart skipped a beat. How could Derek Hale be so charming? He scratched the back of his neck, trying to will his blush away, "Th- thank you, Alpha Hale. You're very kind. I still can't just show up to the ceremony like this, though. It's, like, a super big faux pas. And- and I don't have any appropriate clothes at the moment and there's gonna be reporters and media outlets there and _oh my gosh_ what if the first time I even get shown on Buzzfeed I look like _this_? Ack! How embarrassing!!!" 

"Hm. Stay here a second. I'll be right back," Derek pulled out his phone and left the room to make a call. Ten minutes later he returned and opened the front door to let in an out of breath beta woman. 

"CEO Hale," she panted. The woman was hunched over, hands on her knees as she gasped in breaths of air. She was wearing trendy clothes, and though her long brunette hair was covering her face in this position, Stiles felt as if he recognized her from somewhere, "I've- I brought the stuff you asked for. Are we starting right now?" 

Stiles gasped when she rose, pushing her hair back behind her ear. This was the prestigious stylist Amy Nelson! People in the industry called her the Queen of Cosmetics! Amy had personally styled most of America's top celebrities and socialites. There was word that she was the personal stylist for Julia Baccari, Triskelion Entertainment's number one artist. 

In other words, she was someone who a small-time actor like Stiles could only meet in his wildest dreams. 

"You- this is-" Stiles's eyebrows shot up near his hairline. 

"You don't recognize her?" Derek raised a critical eyebrow. 

"Who wouldn't recognize _Amy Nelson_!? Wha- you called her over? For what?" 

"To help you," Derek shrugged as if this were a completely unremarkable situation. 

Stiles recoiled physically, looking horrified and awed at the same time, "But- I'm a Silverpoint artist! Triskelion is a Hale Corporation subsidiary. I'm from your rival company- are you sure you wanna have your best stylist help _me_ out?" 

He whipped his head around to address Amy, "Are _you_ okay with this?" 

There was a complicated flurry of emotions that passed her face for a moment, but after that, she just shrugged, "He's the boss." 

He whipped back around to Derek. The alpha's expression stayed unbothered, "Why would it be a big deal?" 

Stiles choked on his own spit.

Hale Corporation was an enormous operation built from the ground up by the Hale Family decades ago and it had hundreds of well known and influential companies as its subsidiaries. Five years ago, Cora Hale, the youngest of Talia Hale's children, bought over a slowly failing artist management company and rebranded it as Triskelion Entertainment. Triskelion had since then become one of Hollywood's most successful firms. At this point, they were even competing directly with Silverpoint Entertainment, the oldest leading firm in the industry built on a foundation of bullets and gold. Triskelion's growth was frighteningly impressive no matter how one looked at it. 

The competition between the two companies was extremely fierce, needless to say. It was to the point where artists from the two companies were encouraged to keep separate if they had to work on the same set or feuds were bound to happen. 

All this being said, it was a bit unthinkable that Amy Nelson, the personal stylist for Triskelion's most acclaimed actress, would show up to help Stiles get ready for an opening ceremony last minute. He was unrecognizable in the industry, not to mention the fact that he was contracted under Silverpoint. But here Stiles was, standing in Derek Hale's living room with Amy Nelson in front of her, dragging her makeup kits behind. 

And here was Derek Hale, checking his watch and sighing impatiently, "The van is waiting at the door. If your makeup and styling gets done on the way, you'll make it to the _Distant Heaven_ opening ceremony just in time. That is... if you still want to go?" 

"I'm going!" Stiles cried. He clumsily stumbled closer to the alpha and Amy. "I'm going! I want to go! I mean, um, yes, Mr. Hale, I would still like to go! Very much. Please." 

If Derek wasn't bothered by the situation, then Stiles wouldn't be either. He watched the alpha grab a ring of keys off the rack in the front. Derek called for his daughter and opened the door. He nodded at Amy and Stiles, signaling the two to follow him. 

Stiles blinked, "You're coming too?" 

Derek didn't bother to look over his shoulder to answer him. He knelt down to let his daughter climb up into his arms, "I'm driving. Little Princess wants to spend more time with you." 

All four of them piled into the minivan. Stiles, Babywulf, and Amy sat together in the spacious back rows. Amy took Stiles's face in her thin fingers, squeezing his cheeks and turning him to and fro to capture different angles. She hummed, "Wow, man, I bet you're gorgeous when you want to be. You've got good bone structure and nice skin. The good news is I don't need to do much to pretty you up. What kind of event are you going to today, omega? I'll pick out a perfect outfit for you." 

"Ish jusht the opening cewemony for a movie," Stiles's speech was muffled by Amy's fingers pressing into his cheeks. She let go of him abruptly when she realized she was still holding him, smiling apologetically. Stiles smiled back, but he was sort of screaming on the inside. _It's Amy fucking Nelson_! They made polite small talk as she dusted highlighter on his cheeks and covered up the darkest of his freckles. Babywulf watched intently from her car seat, eyes wide and curious as the beta woman transformed Stiles's face. 

They pulled up to the Grand Pearl Hotel with seconds to spare. Derek slung an arm over the back of the passenger seat and turned to look at Stiles's new look. Stiles was just finished buttoning up the grey vest Amy gave him to wear. The omega grinned nervously and tilted his head demurely, near preening for the alpha, "So, how do I look?" 

"Not bad." 

Stiles's grin turned genuine and bright. He straightened his back and thanked Amy profusely for her help. He caught Babywulf in the corner of his eye, staring at him with pure awe and adoration. Confidence pooled in his chest and he hugged the pup lightly, "I'm sorry we couldn't spend all day together like we planned, Babywulf. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can, alright? You'll barely notice I'm gone!" 

Babywulf pulled him tighter before reluctantly letting him go. The tiny gesture filled Stiles's heart with warmth. 

After fighting for his dreams alone for so long, seeing someone be happy for him and even extend a helping hand sparked butterflies in his stomach. 

"So, ummm..." Amy started as soon as Stiles exited the car, "I know it's not any of my business, but I have to ask, CEO Hale. A Silverpoint artist?" 

Derek got that complicated, pained look on his face again. He leaned back in his seat instead of turning around, he adjusted the rearview mirror to meet her gaze, "I don't think I have to tell you to keep this quiet, do I?" 

"Of course not!" Amy nodded and they began driving away. She had sort of figured that would be the case. Little Princess tapped her on the arm and gave her a very stern look before holding a finger in front of her lips and making a 'shhhh' noise. Amy smiled, "It's our secret, Miss Hale, I promise! Although..." 

She trailed off for a moment, "He was pretty cute! You should really court him soon if you're interested. If not you'll have a lot of competition soon!" 

The car came to an abrupt stop. Derek met her gaze with wide, incredulous eyes, "Miss Nelson!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grammarly: hey, um, buddy, I think you made a few mistakes  
> Grammarly: hey, um, you can use an article instead of a comma here  
> Grammarly: hey, um, i'm fucking **drowning in commas**  
>  Me: Oh, did you say, add,,, more,,,, commas,,,,,,?  
> (I'm a fucking writing major guys please kill me)
> 
> why do i look up the teen wolf minor character wiki every time i need a throwaway character instead of just Not Giving Them A Name or giving them some random name or something???? i Will shout you out in the beginning notes of next chapter is you can tell me who the useless character is and what their role in TW was.
> 
> hm. i guess i could have done more in the text to emphasize this, but i want to highlight the fact that " _though those two and their intentions were always inscrutable, they would never leave Little Miss Hale's health or safety to chance ever again_ "
> 
> Also, I am aware that Jennifer Blake and Julia Baccari are the same person. They're not in this AU for Reasons.
> 
> Thanks for dropping by, y'all! I hope your new year is going well so far! And if it's not, well. We've got a whole rest of it left! We'll get there someday!  
> Talk to you next chapter- love you bye bye <3
> 
> Edit: having a bit of an issue so the next chapter might be a bit late


	12. Wretched and Joyful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Stiles! What other movies have you been in?"
> 
> "Ah," Stiles hummed. While he'd been overseas studying, Stiles spent most of his free time playing small roles for a variety of different shows and movies. Most of them were unimportant roles or slightly more important roles in small indie flicks, but he'd been in a few big-name TV shows. In other circumstances, the sheer number of roles Stiles had been in would be impressive. He scratched his head, trying to remember the names of a few of his roles, "I was a zombie in _War Stories_. I played Emily's cousin in _Emily is Away_. I was a cashier on _Doctor Who_ once! In _Four Swords_ , I was the Evil Sprite. And then I was Patient 05 in..."
> 
> He kept rambling on and on as the reporters drooped. They weren't getting anything interesting out of this kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no chapter warnings
> 
> this is fanfiction, fam, so i don't really have to remind the crowd that we stan Hozier- title from today is from _Angel of Small Death and the Codine Scene_

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 11- Wretched and Joyful_

. 

. 

. 

The cast and crew members for _Distant Heaven_ 's were all assembled at the Grand Pearl Hotel for the movie's opening ceremony, talking amongst themselves as bright lights flashed one after another. Several media outlets came to take pictures and interviews from the movie's star-studded cast. There was even a sizable group of fans pushing at the border ropes, screaming and swooning, hoping to get even a sliver of attention from one of their idols. 

There were several paps surrounding Allison Argent and Garrett Douglas, _Distant Heaven_ 's lead characters who starred as Princess Annette and Sir Canton respectively. One was Silverpoint's pride and joy-- their glittering up and coming starlet. The other had a history of important roles in famous movies and, though he was relatively young, had won his own Oscar. The two were naturally captivating and drew everyone's attention like flies to honey. 

"Miss Argent! Miss Argent! This is your second time acting as a couple with Garrett Douglas on screen! Would you also give your heart to an alpha like Garrett in real life?" 

Allison blushed, fluttering her eyelashes alluringly for the camera, "Haha! Well, Garrett is quite a catch, but I'm afraid that won't happen! My heart already belongs to someone else!" 

Her words threw the media into a frenzy. A year ago, Allison publicly announced that she had a boyfriend. Fans and Hollywood journalists took it upon themselves to dig around for more information and they soon discovered that Allison's boyfriend was the heir to McCall International: Rafael McCall's son, Scott McCall. The man was an absolute dream-- he had money, class, security, and boyish good looks to boot! 

The whole world felt jealous that the gorgeous pair had both been taken off the market at the same time. Allison's fame hadn't diminished in the slightest after the announcement, as it sometimes happens when single stars enter relationships. Instead, the conversation around her love life shifted to the omega " _Winning Life's Lottery_ " or how she was" _Young and Successful: the American Dream_ ". 

Garrett, who was at her side, caught on quickly and joined in on the bit. He clutched his heart comically as if Allison's words broke his heart, "Miss Argent, how heartless! This knight in shining armor has given his heart only to you!" 

The reporters laughed along jovially and continued to lightly poke teases at the pair. 

After getting a chance to meet the main cast, the next person everyone was looking forward to seeing was the actor who would be playing Rhys. A crowd surrounded Russell Davies. 

"Director Davies! Where's the actor for Rhys? Will they be here today?" 

"He'll be here," the large man shrugged. If the kid wanted to keep his job he would. 

Another pap shouted over the rest, "Is it true that you rejected Jared Lawson because he wasn't attractive enough?" 

Russell frowned. The paparazzi were clearly out to cause trouble tonight by asking such leading questions. Russell had been in the game for a long time, though, and knew how to deal with the media. He spoke smoothly, "The casting crew and I took appearances into account when choosing an actor for Rhys, but that was only one of the criteria on a long list of things we were looking for. Jared's looks were definitely not an issue for us- he's a charming, handsome young man. We just decided that Stiles Argent would be a better fit for Rhys." 

"The word out is that the actor playing Rhys us a rookie! Rhys is supposed to be a challenging role-- are you sure your newbie will be able to meet everyone's expectations?" 

' _Yikes_ ,' Russell thought, ' _they're really chomping at the bit tonight, aren't they?_ ' 

The reporters were pretty obviously looking for a weak point to attack. They were even specifically targeting Rhys's actor for some reason. Russell wondered if there was some sort of online viral trend that might have spurred them on. 

"Well, you'll just have to wait until the movie comes out and see, now won't you?" 

The reporters still seemed to bristle at the director's avoidant answers. One brave soul called out aggressively, "Director Davies, just tell us outright! Is the actor for Rhys hotter than Jared Lawson?" 

Russell struggled not to roll his eyes. He couldn't stand tabloid paps, "That depends. What's your type? Everyone likes something different." 

All of these questions were getting on Russell's last nerve. He glanced over the crowd's heads for some sort of distraction when he saw a new face appear at the edge of the red carpet, "Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear!" 

As expected, the group of reporters and paparazzi swiveled around in the direction Russell was looking. Their reaction was, surprisingly, stunned silence. 

Stiles Argent wasn't what anyone was expecting. He was an omega, lithe and unassumingly beautiful, but he had possessed none of the grace or poise commonly attributed to the gender. He seemed to stumble out of the van he arrived in, fumbling his way onto the red carpet as if he'd never been on one before. None of the Hollywood reporters on the scene recognized the omega, so it very well might have been. 

Stiles wore a garishly patterned black and white button-up under a grey blazer and matching slacks. The outfit honestly shouldn't have worked on anyone, but he managed to pull it off alright. 

Photographers frowned at their cameras as he walked down the carpet, stopping to pose whenever someone would ask him to. It seemed like every angle came out awkward on screen, even though Stiles looked fine to their own eyes. 

The reporters around Russell remained dazed and confused for the few seconds it took Stiles to get all the way down the carpet. 

_This was Stiles Argent_? 

The actor contracted to play Rhys was some unrecognizable rookie with an unremarkable history? 

He didn't really seem to fit the scene. Even the way he wrote his name on the signature wall seemed jerky and brimming with nervous energy. 

The reporters' questions dried up on the tips of their tongues. None of what they had prepared would be appropriate for the situation. This wasn't the type of omega they were expecting. Jared Lawson was suave and handsome, but if Stiles's manic energy was what Russell was looking for, of course, the more experienced actor wouldn't have fit. 

"Um, Stiles Argent?" one of the quicker reporters bit out. Stiles met her eyes, surprised that he had anyone's attention at all, and focused on her with a frightening intensity. She swallowed and continued, "Is that suit you're wearing one of Kristoff Torkar's custom originals?!" 

Stiles froze. He had no idea who this suit was by-- Amy just pushed the outfit into his hands and had him change clothes in the back seat of the van. He hadn't expected it to be anything special given his unknown status and the time constraints they were under. He fumbled to think of some sort of excuse, but before one could spill out, the reporter followed up with another question. 

"Oh my goodness, Mr. Argent, were you styled by the Queen of Cosmetics, _Amy Nelson_?" 

The omega blinked. How could someone tell so much just by looking? 

"Ah, nevermind," she seemed to think better of herself, "I was wrong. Forget it." 

She'd most likely remembered that Stiles was just a minor artist from Silverpoint and would probably never come into contact with Amy Nelson in his whole career. 

Stiles let out a small sigh of relief. Worried that someone might continue pursuing that train of thought, Stiles hurried to change the topic, "Since we're at the opening ceremony, does anyone have any questions relating to _Distant Heaven_?" 

"Stiles! What other movies have you been in?" 

"Ah," Stiles hummed. While he'd been overseas studying, Stiles spent most of his free time playing small roles for a variety of different shows and movies. Most of them were unimportant roles or slightly more important roles in small indie flicks, but he'd been in a few big-name TV shows. In other circumstances, the sheer number of roles Stiles had been in would be impressive. He scratched his head, trying to remember the names of a few of his roles, "I was a zombie in _War Stories_. I played Emily's cousin in _Emily is Away_. I was a cashier on _Doctor Who_ once! In _Four Swords_ , I was the Evil Sprite. And then I was Patient 05 in..." 

He kept rambling on and on as the reporters drooped. They weren't getting anything interesting out of this kid. 

Eventually someone cut him off and asked the question all of them were thinking, "That's a long list! How come all of the roles you've played are so small? Why not go for something bigger?" 

This would be a wonderful time to talk about how shitty his manager treated him, but he figured that wouldn't help his image or help with his situation overall. He smiled calmly and answered, "I mean- I actually haven't noticed. I really, really love acting and to me, every role has its own importance! There's no distinction between big or small roles because if a role is not needed, it would not be included." 

The paparazzi, hungry for fresh blood, continued to pile on questions, but Stiles suitably answered them each one by one without help from a manager to guide him. 

Russell Davies nodded, impressed, as he watched from the side, "This kid is doing okay! It's odd that he hasn't made it big yet. What do you think, Marty?" 

The producer, Marty Adelstine, tilted his head and made an appreciative noise, "You may have a point there. It could be the people at Silverpoint are just too stupid to see the gold mine in front of them. If not, then..." 

The older man's lips thinned. Russell frowned too. The conclusion they had both come to was obvious and had concerning implications. 

Adelstine's face was full of pity, "What a waste of talent!" 

"Well, we've got him now. It'll be fine." 

Not far away, Allison Argent's nails bit sharply into the meat of her palm. Her expression was dark and she struggled not to let any anxious pheromones leak through the several layers of expensive scent concealer she was wearing. She'd told Jennifer Blake to only let Stiles know about the opening ceremony at the last minute in hopes that he'd rather miss out than be embarrassed. Somehow he'd managed to make a stunning appearance and everyone's eyes were drawn to him. 

Her eyebrow twitched. Stiles's outfit alone cost several thousand dollars. How in the world had he gotten his hands on that kind of money? And clothing and accessories could be rented, but whoever did her brother's styling did an immaculate job. 

Allison had made the same mistake she always did-- underestimating Stiles again. 

"Miss Argent! You and Stiles are from the same agency, aren't you? You must know each other from Silverpoint! How do you think Stiles will do in _Distant Heaven_?" 

Allison immediately collected herself and thought of a plan, letting a calm and elegant air settle about her. She smiled and said, "Well, we don't know each other too well, but I believe Stiles definitely has the talent to pull this off! You won't be disappointed!" 

She used all questions about Stiles directed at her to lay generous praises at the other omega's feet. 

From the outside, it truly appeared as if Allison was trying to support a fellow actor, but Stiles knew her too well. In other contexts, Allison had done this to him before-- lifting him up high with her words only so he would fall harder and give up when it all came crumbling down. Everyone's expectations would be so high even before the filming started that they'd be invariably disappointed if Stiles made even the slightest mistake. 

He steeled himself. This trick wouldn't work on him again because he wasn't afraid of what people thought. Stiles had nothing left to lose this time. 

As the media interview segment ended, Stiles prepared to take a short break, but was pulled away from the crowd by Jennifer Blake. 

"Fuck, Stiles, where did all this come from?! Don't you dare think that Silverpoint is gonna foot the bill for your outfit! And how dare you steal the spotlight from Allison-- you know this is a big role for her! I thought you'd be a little bit less selfish and petty where your own sister was involved, but I guess--!" The woman hissed in his ear, barely breathing in between wave after wave of scoldings. 

"So are we done here? We both know I didn't want to do any of that, but _someone_ forgot to tell me about the ceremony until an hour beforehand, so is it my fault that I was a bit fashionably late?" 

Remembering that there were other people around, Blake reigned in her temper and hissed quietly, "The cast is going out to eat later. You _will_ remember the rules and you _will_ behave. I don't think I have to remind you that I can end you with a phone call if anything you do reflects badly on Silverpoint." 

"Goodbye, Ms. Blake," Stiles scoffed. He was young and stupid when he signed his contract with Silverpoint. The agency basically had him in a chokehold. He had even thought that it was a privilege when the company offered to pay for his apartment, but he realized now that it was just another shackle keeping him tied to the Argents. He wouldn't show any weakness when he was in front of Blake, though. 

"One last thing, Stiles!" the woman called, "You know how Hollywood actors can get when they're celebrating. When the alcohol starts flowing, make sure Allison doesn't have to miss out on any fun!" 

Stiles couldn't help but snicker, "What- do you want me to receive toasts on her behalf like some sort of white knight? You're shitting me. Allison is a grown woman. She knows how to say no if she can't hold her liquor." 

"Yes, but that would make her less popular with some of the actors, you know? You wouldn't let that happen, would you?" she hummed, "Remember what we've talked about, Stiles. I see you're getting brave now that you've got some small supporting role under your belt. Don't. You're nothing without me and you'd be even less without Allison vouching for you." 

Stiles lost his patience with the conversation and left before he could say something that would make Blake really flip her lid. Blake watched him go, eyes narrowed and a little bit of panic rising in her heart. The Argents paid her handsomely to keep Stiles out of the media's all-seeing-eyes. She'd slipped up allowing him to get this role and couldn't afford to let him climb any higher if she wanted to keep up the standard of living she'd grown accustomed to in the past few years. If Stiles didn't come out of this ruined, Jennifer Blake would. 

. 

. 

. 

The banquet for _Distant Heaven_ 's crew wasn't held in the Grand Pearl's general banquet hall on the main floor but was instead held in a private room on the upper levels of the hotel. It was large enough to fit all of them and came with a fully stocked bar and a bartender who would hopefully be taking home half her weight in tips when the party was over. Everyone was sprawled either on the barstools or one of several plush couches organized around the room perfectly to facilitate easy conversation. 

Sometime in between his entering the room and now, Stiles had been dragged to the bar by Jane Davis, the movie's screenwriter. She seemed pleased as punch with the rookie actor and everyone could tell. 

"Oh yeah! And speaking of which," the assistant director whose name was just on the tip of Stiles's tongue slurred, drawing Jane and Stiles into the room's larger conversation, "isn't it funny that two of our omega stars are from the same company _and_ have the same name! What a coincidence!" 

Stiles felt his eye twitch. What a coincidence indeed. 

Stiles and Allison Argent both worked at Silverpoint Entertainment and even had the same manager, but their lives and careers differed so much. To an outsider, it would be silly to think that the two were connected in any way. 

Allison Argent was one of the _lucky ones_ after all. She could have almost anything she wanted in life with little effort. If Stiles were an Argent, why would he be clawing his way so desperately through life now? 

If the Argents were a people so complacent and thoughtless, Stiles was glad to have no meaningful connections between them. 

As they were speaking, the directors and producers straightened their ties and tried to make themselves more presentable. The movie's largest sponsor had entered the room-- the chairman of the Board of Directors for Argent Solutions LLC, Christopher Argent himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I make these endnotes so long? Nobody reads them lol.
> 
> Thanks for dropping by! I really appreciate the comments and kudos y'all leave! 
> 
> fam. like. take everything i say about the wealthy in this fic with several grains of salt. not to push my politics onto you, but i hate capitalist hierarchies and social structures and i don't know if my disdain is dripping off of my in fiction words. i'm a big whiny baby saying this from a place of relative privilege, but i'm still saying it.  
> OMG!!!! You know how I casually drop good music recs in the beginning notes? I should totally leave breadpills in the endnotes from now on. I mean, I'm not good at inviting people into a belief system if prior experience is any measure, but I can point you in the right direction. HMU if you want more information on Reform and Revolution. Or don't lol whatever floats your boat.  
> ( **Capitalism is the direct cause of climate destruction.** )
> 
> also!!! I couldn't bother looking up another minor TW character, so we have upped the YouTuber count to 2:  
> Amy Nelson and Robin Torkar  
> And my brother tells me that Jared Lawson is a real person as well. I don't know who he is, what he does, or what he looks like. Hope nobody objects to me accidentally implying he's an omega.  
> (I also don't know anything about Russell T. Davies)  
> Join in next time to see who else's identity I appropriate to further this terrible, terrible fanfiction.
> 
> Next chapter might be late because I'm having an issue finishing it. Sorry OTL!!!
> 
> Love you TTYL bye bye~!  
> xoxohungry


	13. Way To Go // Go Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles's day just keeps getting worse and worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title today is from **Stuff is Way** by They Might Be Giants
> 
> content warnings for this chapter:  
> -implied past abuse/neglect  
> -mention of past miscarriage  
> -blackmail/manipulation  
> -the Argents in this fic are generally shitty to Stiles  
> -Gross Displays of Capitalism
> 
> (Would saying this is an MLK day update be trite? Please do what you can to support and stand up for people less fortunate than you!)

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 12- Way to Go // Go Away_

. 

. 

. 

"Ah, Mr. Argent! How kind of you to attend our little opening ceremony! Lord knows you're probably busy with things loads more important than our small movie!" Director Davies greeted the chairman warmly, "Please, have a seat! Would you like a drink?" 

The director pulled a chair over to an open spot at the table where Allison was sitting and waved Chris over. Chris met his daughter's gaze affectionately and waved Davies off. He chuckled, "No need for all that. I'm just here to see my baby girl." 

" _Daaaad_ ," Allison whines bashfully, but there was a genuine smile on her face nonetheless. 

"Mr. Argent, you have _such_ a talented daughter," another crewmember crooned, voice dripping with guile. The Argents were a powerful name in entertainment even without the whole of Argent Solutions LLC behind Silverpoint Entertainment and Allison Argent herself. Everyone wanted to be on their good side, "It's been so wonderful having her around!" 

"I bet it has!" Chris smiled obligingly at the crew and then turned back to his daughter, feigning an expression of mock sternness, "Now if only we could get her home for dinner once in a while. She works too hard! If I hadn't come here tonight, I probably wouldn't have seen her for the rest of the week!" 

" _Dad!_ " Allison whined again, "Please don't embarrass me at work! I'll be home tomorrow night, I promise! I'll even cook!" 

"Alright, sweetheart," Chris hummed. He nodded once to the room at large again, "You all can get back to what you were doing. I just wanted to come visit my little superstar." 

Stiles thought he had strengthened his heart into refined steel over time. He hadn't expected to see such a show of pack devotion and affection here. His throat tightened to the point where he felt like he was suffocating and he struggled not to bolt out of the door. The omega pressed his lips into a thin line. Stiles couldn't help the way he felt, but he could cover it up by maintaining a serene mask and making sure his pheromones didn't betray any of his inner turmoil. He continued to discuss small details from the script with Jane Davis, calm and attentive as if he didn't even notice the scene happening besides them. 

As if he couldn't feel Christopher Argent's gaze cutting into him like a scalpel. 

While Stiles could ignore the man, others in the room could not. His eyes were narrowed and his expression looked as if seeing Stiles acting so freely at a public social gathering was disgusting and shameful. 

After a while, Stiles excused himself from Jane's company, lying about needing to use the restroom. Instead, he took solace in an empty corridor not too far from their private room and opened a window wide so he could light a cigarette without smogging up the entire hotel. The Grand Pearl probably wouldn't be happy with Stiles smoking indoors, but he figured that since he was a guest with _Distant Heaven_ 's crew, he was high profile enough to get away with it this time. He searched his pockets and thanked God he remembered to snag his lighter out his pocket before he changed into the pants Amy gave him. 

Stiles struggled with himself for a moment before tossing his cigarette out the open window unlit. He was in the middle of quitting the habit. It wouldn't do any good to let the Argents drive him back to his vices so easily. The night breeze caressing his cheeks made his feel a bit better. 

Heavy footfalls interrupted his short moment of peace. 

Stiles's whole body tensed up. He didn't need to turn to know who it was behind him, but he did anyway. The omega's face stayed completely devoid of any emotion and his voice stayed flat, "Did you need me for something, Chairman Argent?" 

Chris's gaze was heavy. He frowned when he saw Stiles had undone the top few buttons of his already eye-catching outfit to make the heat more bearable. 

Stiles lowered his eyes and flashed a scornful, wicked grin, "Why, Chairman Argent, you were looking at me like that in the banquet room earlier, too. Aren't you afraid someone will ask questions?" 

In the eyes of the public, Christopher Argent was a wealthy philanthropist and Stiles was an attractive omegan starlet. One out of context picture of them alone in this corridor would be enough to get an unfavorable rumor mill started. 

The alpha's eyes flashed with anger, "Watch your mouth. What the hell do you think you're implying?" 

Stiles raised a single eyebrow and fluttered his eyelashes coquettishly, "I thought all of the Argents were supposed to be smart. Do I really have to spell it out for you, _Daddy_? Mr. Argent, you--" 

"Just _shut up_!" Chris raised his hand threateningly. Before the alpha could make another move, Stiles caught his wrist within his slender fingers. This man had lost the right to threaten, much less touch him, very long ago. 

Chris's face was full of rage, but he withdrew his hand slowly and backed out of Stiles's personal space, "I want you to withdraw from this role right now. Do _not_ embarrass the Argent name like this. I will not tell you again." 

Stiles's eyes grew cold, "I don't think so. I got this role fair and square, Daddy-O, and I don't see how my having it would reflect badly on you assholes in any way. As far as anyone knows, we're complete strangers from one another." 

"You insolent fucking-" Chris seethed. He stopped abruptly and took a moment to put himself back together, "Why are you trying to make things hard for us? Look at you-- it's not going to work. Are you waiting for someone to dig up your dirty little secrets specifically so you can drag us down with you?" 

Stiles fought back the burning sensation in his eyes and chest. He knew that when he was young, he did a lot of stuff that embarrassed the Argent pack. He hadn't known back then that elite packs had to conduct themselves so differently than what he was used to back in Beacon Hills. Passing socialites would still sometimes snicker over the time Stiles had worn cubic zirconia studs in his ears instead of real diamonds at an important dinner party. He'd made a lot of stupid mistakes when he first came back to be with the Argents. If anyone managed to dig up the ugly truth of what happened before he'd been sent abroad, Stiles would never be able to show his face in those circles again. He was already unwelcome, but if anyone found out... 

He'd be vilified. 

The omega grew pale and uncharacteristically still. 

That party, that stranger, that unexpected and drunken heat-- 

That dead infant.

These memories were Stiles's Achilles heel. 

The Argents had covered up the whole incident and Allison never spoke of it again. They constantly hung that threat above Stiles's head, but they wouldn't for fear of exposing their own hand in the ordeal. Still, this was Stiles's worst nightmare that his secret might be revealed one day. 

"I'm giving you the chance to bow out on your own. If you're not going to take it, then don't blame me for not having any mercy because you're my son." 

Stiles scoffed, "Yeah, right. As if there was ever any familial bond between us. Fuck off!" 

"Dad? Stiles?" Allison's surprised voice sounded from behind them, "What's going on?" 

Chris's expression softened when he saw Allison, "It's nothing, sweetheart. Don't worry about it. When you go back, get Silverpoint to find someone more suitable for Stiles's role, alright?" 

Stiles's breath caught in his throat. So they would switch him out this easily? 

Although she felt relieved on the inside, a nervous look overtook Allison's face, "But, Dad, why? It's already been announced that Stiles is playing Rhys!" 

"No. He's done well enough in his small roles and cameos, but a big part like this is too much. I've invested millions into this film and I'm not going to let it go to waste just so your brother can fool around!" 

"Daddy, listen-" 

"Hush, Allison. I've already decided. I'm leaving now. You'll both do as I said." 

"Yes, Daddy," Allison whispered. She looked to Stiles expectantly, but the other omega only rolled his eyes. Chris huffed, eyes narrowed at Stiles and then walked away. 

The anxious expression melted off of Allison's face as their father's figure left their sight. She spoke calmly, "Stiles, I really didn't want things to turn out this way. Why don't you just-" 

She was interrupted by a sharp laugh. Stiles's eyes were manic and full of despair. 

Even his own biological father held no love for Stiles. What kind of father would single-handedly demolish all of Stiles's efforts and prospects, pushing him back down into endless depths of obscurity? It seemed that Stiles was just meant to be unhappy and alone. 

He'd worked so hard for this role, fighting tooth and bloody nail. 

Still, all his efforts seemed to be in vain. 

. 

. 

. 

The banquet didn't officially end until after 11 PM, even though plenty of the _Distant Heaven_ crew stuck around the hotel to find different kinds of fun. 

That length just so happened to be more than enough for anyone to drink their problems away. 

Stiles couldn't remember drinking much, but when he came back to the banquet room in a mood too somber for his surroundings, Jane plied the omega with so many different types of alcohol he almost stopped being able to differentiate the tastes. The floor shook beneath the omega's feet and the walls seemed to wobble and churn whenever he leaned against one for support. The omega was no lightweight, but he couldn't stop the way his temples throbbed every few seconds with dull pulses of pain. 

Of course, life had never missed an opportunity to fuck Stiles harder even when he thought things had reached their peak. 

"Oh! Look over there-- is that Scott McCall?" an omega from the crew tittered to a group surrounding her, "The rumors were right! He's so handsome!" 

"He must be here to pick up Allison," another remarked, "Damn, I'm so jealous! She's got looks, a great careers, a rich pack, _and_ her boyfriend is Scott _fucking_ McCall!" 

"If only we were so lucky!" 

Stiles leaned his whole weight onto the wall, staring numbly at the man making his way over to Allison. 

The McCall pack had flourished in recent years. Scott had finally grown into himself and his proper standing. With the McCall's cumulative success, Scott's own reputation had soared. Looking at the man, Stiles could no longer see the airheaded, loyal young alpha he fell in love with so long ago. 

As a pup, Scott stayed with a family friend in Beacon Hills to heal from several illnesses that had plagued him since birth. The clean forest air emanating through Beacon Hills made it easier for him to breathe until he grew out of constant panic attacks and he stayed in a nurse's home so she could watch over him and make sure his recovery went smoothly. 

But the Scott right here wearing a luxurious wristwatch and genuine leather shoes was not the Scott that got into all sorts of trouble in town with Stiles when they were pups. That Scott died a long time ago. 

"Oh-- hi, Scottie! Why are you here? You know you didn't have to come pick me up, right?" Allison nearly skipped from the entrance of the hotel to where Scott was standing next to the valet registration service. 

"I didn't want you to have to come out in the rain," the alpha smiled. He shrugged off his jacket and laid it over his omega's shoulders, "Why aren't you wearing more clothes? It's going to get cold soon." 

"I can take care of myself, babe," Allison intoned lightly. Her eyes were full of affection and adoration for the alpha. 

Stiles rolled his eyes far as he could before the movement itself made him feel sick. His day just kept getting worse and worse. All night he'd had to sit through Allison and Chris's touching performance of familial pack bonds. Now he was stuck witnessing her and Scott's tooth-rotting lovey-dovey affection. 

He knew he was just projecting, but it felt like Allison was showing off everything she'd taken away from him. 

The female omega wrapped herself around Scott's arm and dragged him over to the wall Stiles was leaning against. She greeted him warmly, "Hey, Stiles! You look pretty drunk right now. Why don't you let me and Scottie drive you home tonight?" 

Stiles tried not to flinch away when Scott laid a chaste kiss on the top of Allison's head. He didn't even seem to notice the other omega until after he processed the words coming from his girlfriend's mouth. Scott's eyes widened by a fraction when he looked at Stiles. 

It had been... a very long time. 

In the years Stiles was overseas, Scott hadn't seen the other omega a single time. Even after he returned, the moments he caught a glimpse of Stiles were few and far in between. Seeing him up close caught Scott off guard. He was so different than the alpha remembered. 

Scott had grown, but Stiles had too. Gone was the rowdy omega pup who was always covered in bruises and scrapes from inserting himself in situations he had no right to be a part of. Here, now, Stiles was a beautiful, young, and refined omega only just riding the beginning edge of his prime. Stiles had blossomed without Scott ever knowing. 

Noticing the dazed way Scott looked at Stiles made something ugly and cruel twist inside of Allison's gut. A dark emotion flitted across her eyes. She lightly shook his arm, fluttering her eyelashes seductively, "Scott, darling? What do you think?" 

The alpha came back to his senses all at once and he nodded hastily, "Yeah-- yeah! Let's all go together!" 

"Stiles? Stiles, are you okay?" Allison called, looking concerned. 

Stiles pressed the back of his hand to his sweaty forehead lightly. His mind grew hazier and hazier under the cloying grip of alcohol. His heartbeat so quick and hard against his chest he felt like he might pass out at any moment. Something inside of him begged to be released to take the worst revenge on the two liars in front of them and break their exquisite and pretentious masks. 

"Nope!" Stiles popped the P in the most obnoxious manner he could muster, "I'm good. You two go ahead without me." 

He turned on his heel and stumbled toward the restroom as quick as his unsteady feet would carry him. There was no shame in making a tactical retreat if you didn't have the strength to fight right then. 

Allison sighed as she watched her brother's pathetic figure escape. She didn't bother hiding her exhaustion from Scott, "Scott, babe... I don't think Stiles is ever gonna forgive me. I want to make it up to him somehow, but... I've been trying to help him out at Silverpoint, but he's just so... so stubborn! I don't know what to do anymore." 

"Don't worry about it," Scott wrapped his arms tighter around Allison's waist, "Stiles has always been like that. He's probably already forgiven you. Just give him time, you know?" 

. 

. 

. 

In the Grand Pearl's lobby, a group of people was milling around, trading gossip about whatever came to mind. If seeing Scott pull up in a luxury sports car sent everyone into a flurry, watching him drive away with Allison Argent in tow got their mouths near frothing. 

"They pulled off in a Maserati GranTurismo. _A GranTurismo!_ " 

"Bullshit! Aren't those things like hundreds of thousands of dollars?!" 

"$350,000, actually." 

"Ugh, when will some rich alpha come sweep me off my feet and take me to live in luxury away from all you losers?" 

" _Hey!_ " 

"Shh! Shut up! Shut up! Someone else is coming!" 

They could hear the purr of an engine floating through the open doors of the Grand Pearl lobby. They peered outside to see a sleek chrome sportscar pull into the pickup lot. 

"Holy shit." 

"Oh my gosh, what is it? Spit it out!" 

The handsome low chassis, smooth body, and sensual butterfly doors culminated into a machine that felt more like a moving masterpiece. More importantly-- 

"I- I thought they were completely sold out- the _Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost_. Holy fuck, you plebs are blessed to be able to lay your eyes on one!" 

"I mean, it can't be that much different than a Maseratti, right?" 

"Not much diff-- Rolls Royce only ever produced 35 Silver Ghosts! _In the world!_ They're priceless!" 

"Hot damn! Just who's in that thing?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stiles made a dirty joke this chapter and I can tell you straight up that there's no incest anywhere in this fic. You can rest assured in that.
> 
> A Maserati GranTurismo S Mansory cost $350,000 at the initial time of production.  
> I cannot find out how much the 2019 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Collection costs. The original version, the one that the new Silver Ghosts are a tribute to, is insured for $35 million in the US. The coach line is painted with 100% silver particles in the paint.  
> I know far more about luxury sports car prices than I ever wanted to at this point. Fam, growing up, some days I would get a slice of Kraft American Cheese for lunch and that would be that. If this is what wealth makes you desire, then I'd prefer to be impoverished my whole life. Honestly, it's not fun, but I think everyone should have to try living like this. Maybe then they wouldn't waste resources building a market where shit like this can thrive. IDK, tho, that's just my opinion. No war but class war is all I'm saying.  
> Anyway, thanks so much for visiting!!! Special thanks to those of you dropping comments and kudos! School started back up for me a while ago and it's really, really draining, so getting a comment notification does nice, warm things to my feelings!
> 
> Also, I need us to like. Slow down. This fic is still in the exposition phase. We have only just reached the Inciting Incident part. I gotta go back and change the tags. I forgot to call this a slow burn- and when I mean slow, I mean down south hickory-smoked ham slow, slow burn. Savor the moment. Chill, golden goose. I love you. ♡.
> 
> Thanks for 100 bookmarks!!! And 365 kudos- hoo! One for each day of the year!!!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	14. Not sayin’ I’m the nicest, I just live life like it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's that **Aston Martin Music** by Rick Ross, babydoll! 
> 
> content warnings this chapter:  
> not much? Stiles is wicked drunk the whole time, tho.

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 13- I’m not sayin’ I’m the nicest, I just live life like it_

. 

. 

. 

In her father's car, Little Princess pouted at the phone in her hands, waiting patiently for Stiles to answer her call. Derek frowned. She must have called about three times now. He didn't think Stiles would be ignoring them. Maybe something happened. 

He unfastened his seatbelt and turned around to check that Princess was still safely secured in hers, "I'm going to go take a look. Be good and wait here for me." 

Little Princess reached up and tugged on her father's sleeve before he could get much further. There was a betrayed look in her eyes. She wanted to come along too! 

Derek raised a thick eyebrow at the pup, "I can't carry both of you if he's drunk." 

Princess's cheeks puffed up angrily. She shook her head. Derek understood her meaning as ' _I don't need to be carried! I'm a big girl now!_ ' 

Derek looked unimpressed, "Yeah, no. You want to do be girl things after acting like a brat for the past few days? I don't think so. And I'm not about to risk losing you in a place like this again." 

Little Princess dropped her father's sleeve, head bowing to hide the tears that gathered in the corners of her eyes. 

His daughter's devastated expression made Derek feel like he shouldn't have snapped at her so harshly. He smoothed a hand over her hair as a small apology, giving her a quick smile, "I'll be back soon. I promise." 

Derek turned to the chauffeur before opening the car door, "Thomas, please bring the car to the underground parking lot." 

"Of course, sir." 

Under the exited gazes of the small crowd gathered in the Grand Pearl's entrance, the car's butterfly doors slowly swung open and a man stepped out. He wore a steel grey suit that draped over the broad cut of his shoulders in a way that only enhanced the cold, formidable aura of alpha pheromones practically dripping off of him. A flurry of voices reached his ears. 

"Hey, look-- someone got out of the Rolls Royce!" 

"Get out the way-- who is it?" 

"Is that... Oh, shit! That's Derek Hale!" 

"Derek Hale? I totally called it! Who else would be out in public in a Silver Ghost? Who else can _afford_ a Silver Ghost?" 

"Hey, hold my purse for me? My time has come--" 

"Girl, normally I would encourage you to shoot your shot, but in this case, you might actually die. Sit back down." 

"He can't be that hard to get! No alpha is immune to omegan charms!" 

"Honey, that alpha is the _most elite_ of the elites! He's got his pick of the litter and I guarantee it's not gonna be you. Honestly, it was probably pure luck that even let us see him today." 

"I don't know. She may have a shot. He's usually surrounded by a ton of important people wherever he goes. If he's alone tonight, that means..." 

"That means he's probably here for a reason and won't take kindly to being interrupted! Dumb ass!" 

Derek rolled his eyes and continued on past them. He was used to being gossiped about everywhere he went, but that didn't make it any less annoying. 

When he got upstairs to where the banquet had been held, he found that the cast and crew had all left. The group at the hotel's entrance had probably been the last batch, but he didn't see or smell Stiles among them. He tried calling the omega's phone as he walked up and down the corridors searching. 

No one picked up, but he could hear ringing somewhere. 

He slowed his pace and followed the noise through the halls in an odd game of 'Hot and Cold'. He didn't hesitate to enter the restrooms when he found that was where the ringing was loudest. 

"Stiles?" Derek couldn't help the way his brow pinched. The omega was passed out curled up underneath one of the sinks with his arms wrapped around his knees. His mouth was slack and his cheeks were pink, serving as a good visual for the sheer amount of alcohol Derek could smell coursing through his system. The omega's natural scent was practically fully masked beneath the stench of vodka. 

Derek's gaze softened a bit when he saw the troubled expression on the omega's face. He looked weary and ragged, completely different from the brilliant young man that left them earlier that day. The alpha prepared to kneel down to pick Stiles up, but the second he got close, Stiles's arms shot up into a defensive position. His bleary eyes narrowed at the alpha and his hands curled into fists. 

"Who... Who're you?" Stiles slurred. 

"Derek Hale," he answered, swift and firm. 

"Pfft!" the omega sputtered, "Yeah, right! You must think I'm stupid, don't you?! Well, I'm not! The hell would _Derek Hale_ be doing here?" 

"I'm... I'm here to pick you up?" Derek blinked. He wasn't used to dealing with drunk people, "Why would I be lying?" 

"Nnno, no, no! Yes, you are! You're a big lying liar and-- and you're tellin' me lies!" Stiles tried to push himself further against the wall, away from Derek. "I'm not goin' _anywhere_ with you! Don't you come close to me! I'll beat you up!" 

Derek threaded his fingers through his hair, exasperated. He took a step away from the omega, hoping that would make him calmer, "Okay. Okay. What do I need to do to make you believe me?" 

"G-gimme your ID!" he settled on after a few seconds of contemplation. He held his hand out and eyed Derek suspiciously as if he were a cop pulling over a drunk driver. Derek's mouth twitched with amusement at the absurdity of the situation. He pulled out his wallet and gave Stiles his ID obediently. 

Stiles held the card close to his face, grip unsteady and eyes glassy and wide as he read word by word, "De...rek... Hale... Hm. Okay, I guess you're Derek Hale." 

The alpha nodded, "So can we go now?" 

"No!" Stiles shook his head and pouted. He curled in tighter on himself and began leaking sharp anxious pheromones, "I'm not going anywhere with you! You're the scary Big Bad Wolf! Sourwolf! You-- you'll rip my throat out! With your teeth!" 

"Sourwolf?" Derek repeated flatly. That was creative, to say the least. The omega thought of him as a Big Bad Wolf? Derek thought they were getting along pretty well, but-- 

"Stiles! Hey, Stiles, is that you?" 

Footsteps and a woman's voice interrupted the stalemate that had settled between the two. Derek cursed under his breath and looked out the door. He was so busy trying to convince Stiles that he hadn't even noticed there was still someone else on the floor with them. He met eyes with Jane Davis, the screenwriter. 

She had come to look for Stiles after she noticed he hadn't been back after a long time. She blinked up curiously at the alpha blocking the way to the bathroom door, "Hello, sir. I... I, um, thought I heard my friend in there. Maybe you saw him?" 

Derek frowned, scrambling to think of a quick solution. It wouldn't do well for anyone to catch Stiles and him alone in the bathroom together, especially not in the state he was in, "No, it's just me in here. Miss, are you alright?" 

"Yeah. Sorry, I could have swore I--" a pitiful whimper sounded from behind Derek, interrupting Jane in the middle of her sentence. Her mouth quirked down, "I'm sorry. Are you sure-- I mean, did you hear that?" 

Derek shook his head lightly, "No, can't say I did. Maybe you've had a few too many drinks. Is there someone I can call for you?" 

Jane frowned, sure she wasn't _that_ drunk, but words stopped on the tip of her tongue when she looked closer at the alpha. She could have sworn the man's eyes just turned bloody red, but when she blinked, they were back to a crisp green, "Maybe you're right. I'm... I'm gonna get a ride home. Hey, if you see an omega around here-- he's kinda tall, skinny, and he's got freckles-- can you tell him Jane was looking for him?" 

"I'll be sure to do so, Miss," Derek smiled warmly. He watched the woman amble back down the hallway and didn't let his guard down until she turned the corner out of his sight. He closed the door firmly behind him and glared at Stiles, "Okay, that was close. I'm trying to save _your_ career here. We're getting out of here _now_. You'll thank me in the morning." 

The frightening look on Derek's face shut Stiles right up. He whimpered again, trying not to let any tears fall down his cheeks. He kept his fists held up, ready to defend himself, but the terrified pout on his face made him look more pathetic than threatening. 

Derek deflated. He hadn't meant to scare the omega. 

How could a grown man be harder to coax than his five-year-old daughter? 

Stiles huffed, a bit defeated, and rubbed his fist against the corner of his eye. His voice came out raw and disheartened, "Bastards... I didn't do anything wrong! I didn't do _shit!_ An- And they think they can just step all over me! I bet you think you can just step all over me, too, huh? Big, tough alpha. I'll show you! I'll show all of you-- you big... mean people. Mean bitches! Yeah!" 

The omega slammed his fist into the wall next to him with an intensity that shocked Derek. The air suddenly filled with the biting stench of desperate and angry pheromones. 

Derek's brows knitted together, "What happened? What's wrong?" 

Stiles sagged, letting all the fight drain out of his body. He blinked up at Derek and held his hands up and out to the alpha. He whined, "D- Derek-- Alpha Hale? I can't get up. An-- An' I feel sick and I think I'm sad. Hel' me please?" 

"Are you going to be quiet? I want to leave, but I don't want us to get caught or you might get in trouble," Derek hummed. He knelt back down and the omega crawled over into his space. Derek hooked his arms underneath Stiles's back and knees and the omega settled as comfortably as he could into his grasp, "Okay, I'm gonna take that as a yes. Hold on." 

Derek tightened his hold on Stiles and stood up with the omega secure in his arms in one swift movement. Stiles nuzzled his face into Derek's chest and stifled a few sobs into the alpha's soft, unthinkably expensive suit jacket, "Alpha Hale, you're so _niiiiice_! You're not like-- other alphas are assholes, yanno? I bet you're, um... bet you're a good d-daddy." 

The alpha's face twisted into a complicated expression as he tried to maneuver them both out the bathroom door. He muttered under his breath, "I could be if that's what you want, but I have a feeling we're not talking about the same thing. Wow, you're a friendly drunk." 

"Mm," Stiles purred, "You be nice forever, okay? Or imma beat you up. I'm not scared o' no werewolves!" 

"Of course you're not, Stiles," Derek grunted. He set the omega down onto his feet when he managed to get them into a service elevator that would take them directly down to the carpark. Stiles wasn't heavy by any means, but his fidgeting made it hard to keep a steady path. As soon as Stiles's feet touched the floor, his knees gave way and he leaned all his weight back into Derek, letting his face fall into the nook between the alpha's neck and shoulder.

"Hands off," Derek pushed the omega's hands away from his chest. In another context, he would have no problem with the omega's wandering hands, but they were rather inconvenient at the moment. The alpha focused on practically anything that wasn't Stiles as the elevator traveled- at a seemingly glacially slow pace- down to the underground carpark.

Derek kept an arm tight around the omega's waist to hold him steady, although he was sure the position would seem incredibly compromising to any outside viewers.

When the elevator doors creaked open, there were two cars idling in the parking spaces just outside of it. His eyes narrowed. One of the cars was, predictably so, his Silver Ghost, but the other... 

"Why? Why are you here?" Derek muttered under his breath, but he knew Cora could hear him. Thomas, who was standing between the two cars, walked around to open the backseat of his car as soon as he saw them. He bowed his head respectfully at Derek but did not attempt to take the omega or help him carry the boy, for he knew that would only cause his boss to act negatively, "Miss Hale has requested that I drive her car back to Platinum Place so that she may accompany you." 

"Yeah," Derek sighed. Stiles shifted his weight slightly backward, throwing them both a bit off-center, "You go one ahead of us." 

He heard Cora chuckling and fought the urge to flip her off, opting instead to focus on maneuvering Stiles into the middle backseat, next to Little Princess's booster seat. Stiles struggled against him for a bit, but when he noticed the pup in the car, his eyes grew wide and joyous. The omega became much more pliant in his distraction and Derek managed to make Stiles sit still long enough to buckle him into his seat. Stiles cooed adoringly, "Oh my goooooosh, a baby! Hi, baby!" 

Little Princess seemed happy to see Stiles but was very confused with his incoherent antics. Cora sat in the front seat, cackling into her fist. She pulled out her phone and snapped a few pictures of Little Princess pressing the back of her hand to Stiles's forehead like she was checking him for a fever. Stiles huffed a reedy laugh at the pup, making her scrunch her nose up at the strength and harshness of the acrid stench of alcohol on his breath. 

Do you want one? I can make that happen," Derek said drily, watching his daughter interact with the drunken omega. Stiles turned around to pout petulantly at the alpha. 

Cora snorted again, obnoxious and obviously entertained. Derek glared at her balefully, "Why are you here?" 

"What do you mean?" Cora hooked an arm around the back of the front passenger seat and adjusted the rearview mirror to watch her brother strap himself in the backseat next to Stiles and Little Princess, "I was gonna come visit tonight, but Tom said you and Princess were out picking up Stiles. I was in town already, so I just came here instead of waiting at Platinum Place. Also, can we talk about why your car is cooler than mine? I thought you loved me, bro!" 

Derek rolled his eyes, "Already in the area my ass. Tell me what you know." 

"You know, Der, just because I'm the left hand, that doesn't mean I've got thumbs in every pie there is." 

"Cora, I have literally never been able to get you to shut up about entertainment news, but now you want to say you don't know something about the entertainment scene." 

"Okay, you caught me, but I have one question first," Cora turned the key in the ignition, sparking the car into life with a deep hum. She turned to look him directly in the eye, "Be honest. Did you buy this Silver Ghost before or after you gave me the Speedtail?" 

Derek's expression stayed deadpan. He waited for a beat before answering, then another, "Before." 

"Damn it! I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse," she clicked her tongue contemplatively, "Well, a few articles posted less than an hour ago triggered the flags I put up for Stiles. I didn't read any of them all the way through, but I wanted to make sure there was no trouble. Just in case." 

Derek snuck a glance at Stiles. His mood had changed from one extreme to another in the span of a few minutes, having been wallowing in despair when Derek first found him in the bathroom to cooing and teaching Little Princess how to play 'Miss Mary Mack' without paying a bit of attention to the other adults in the car. Derek squinted at Cora through the rearview window, "What happened?" 

Cora whispered low enough that the human likely wouldn't be able to hear her, "From what I can tell, it started out okay, but... well. Chris Argent showed up to support Allison Argent and so did Scott McCall. McCall, who is... Stiles's ex. Everyone says he's never been serious about any of his exes, but seeing how drunk he is, I can't imagine that reunion went well." 

"Right," Derek hummed, frowning darkly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayeeeee new chapter because I just bombed one of my exams and I want to take my mind off of it
> 
> I'm gonna apologize straight up for the absolutely horrendous choreography and then the abrupt ending this chapter bcuz yikes  
> i have absolutely no idea why this was so hard to write like it took soooooo looooong UGH
> 
> Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed!  
> Extra special thanks to those of you who have left comments and kudos!
> 
> Also, I do not have next chapter written all the way through this time so like 👀👀👀  
> Here's to hoping we get next chapter on time OTL
> 
> I love you all! Visit me on tumblr if you want. Goodnight!


	15. I want to be the man that loves you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of drunken, filler-y antics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title from **North** by The Family Crest
> 
> Happy Superbowl Sunday!
> 
> i, uhh... apologize in advance for the quality of this chap bcuz _oof-_

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 14- I want to be the man that loves you!_

. 

. 

. 

Stiles's eyebrow twitched. He knew he was drunk, but that didn't make him stupid in any capacity. The Hales must have thought that just because Stiles didn't have werewolf super hearing, that he wouldn't notice Derek and Cora whispering about him under their breath. He puffed up his cheeks, obviously frustrated, but all the negative feelings left him when he saw the pup in her car seat beside him puff up her cheeks in an adorably curious imitation. 

"I mean, like. At this point, just bring him over to Triskelion," Cora hissed, almost inaudibly. "Even if you're willing to wait, having him at Silverpoint is inconvenient as hell! They're our business rival _and_ they're running his career into the dirt." 

"It's not time yet!" Derek muttered back sharply. He felt relieved as he noticed they were finally pulling up to Plantium Place. He tapped Stiles lightly on the shoulder and raised his voice to a normal speaking level, "Stiles, can you unbuckle Princess?" 

"Oh? You hear that?" Stiles cooed adoringly at Babywulf without addressing the Alpha, "Your daddy is talking to me now! I thought he forgot that normal humans like me can hear when werewolves are talkin', even though we don't got super ears." 

Babywulf stuck her tongue out at her father over Stiles's shoulder. Thomas, the Platinum Place steward, rushed from inside where he was waiting to open their car doors as soon as he noticed them arriving. Babywulf exited the car by herself just after Stiles unbuckled her restraints and Thomas opened the door closest to her. Derek had to help Stiles maneuver out, as unsteady and weak-kneed as the omega still was under the influence of a frankly extraordinary amount of alcohol. Having Stiles's warm and pliant heat leaning into his side made Derek's breath hitch in his chest. 

The sudden movements made all the liquids in Stiles's stomach slosh around unnervingly so the boy clung desperately to the alpha beside him to get his bearings. It seemed as if the whole world was spinning around him. He couldn't even see straight for a few moments. When he did, though-- 

"Woah, woah, _woah!_ " Stiles pushed himself away from Derek, stumbling back towards the car with wide, star-filled eyes. He tripped over his own feet and landed with his torso pressed against the warm metal of the car's hood. Stiles relaxed his weight, practically smushing his face against the hood to listen to the car shutting down, "Hello, gorgeous! Where have you been all my life?" 

Derek's eyebrows twitched as he watched the omega nearly drool over his car. The omega's scent, though completely inundated with alcohol, began to thicken with ardor. After Derek had gone through all the trouble of personally bringing Stiles back home, risking his own reputation along the way, all he'd gotten in return was petulant complaints and whiskey breath in his face. He'd even called Derek a 'sourwolf', whatever that meant. Now, the omega he wanted more than anything was showing more interest in his car within seconds of laying eyes on it than he'd showed in Derek for the entire time they'd known each other. 

Cora sidled up next to her brother, practically vibrating with ill-contained laughter. The dark expression on his face only made the situation more hilarious. She smelled the beginnings of bitter jealousy stirring in him already and scoffed, voice dripping with amusement, "Envy's not a good look on you, bro. That's what you _get_ for showing off! If you actually read through the file I painstakingly put together for you instead of assuming everything will go the way you want it, you'd have known about Stiles's... _car thing_. We could have avoided this entirely." 

Cora realized after a moment that not all the jealousy in the air was pouring off of Derek. Little Princess had come around to help her father out with Stiles but felt very put out that the omega's attention seemed to be completely stolen away. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, pretending to ignore the little tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. 

The current bane of the pair's existence paid them no mind. The omega was completely enamored with the car beneath him. As soon as he'd seen it clearly, he recognized it as one of the highly coveted, new, and limited-edition Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts, which made it possibly the most luxurious thing Stiles had touched in his whole life. The thought made him lightheaded and a little queasy, but that could also be the whiskey burning through his system. He whispered sweet nothings to the Silver Ghost, sure he was dreaming, "How's about you and I run away together? We'll get hitched in Vegas! Ahaa... hitched." 

Derek glowered. His gaze slid over to Thomas, who idled off to the side somewhat nervously, not knowing what to do with himself. The alpha understood that Stiles was drunk, but even listening to him jokingly propose to Derek's car after he'd had such a viscerally negative reaction to Derek's real proposal made the alpha feel a bit sullen. He addressed his steward calmly, "Thomas, would you bring me a hammer from the shed?" 

He'd worry Cora wasn't able to breathe with how hard she was laughing if he weren't annoyed with the world at large right now. She reached out to lean against his side, helpless in her glee, "Wait, wait, Derek- hahaha! If you're that upset, I'll take the Ghost off your hands! You won't- _pfft_ \- you won't ever have to see it again!" 

"Mr. Thomas?" Stiles said, voice and heartbeat deceptively firm. Cora almost jumped back, startled. Not a single one of them had noticed the omega move. Between one blink and the next, Stiles went from being draped over the hood of Derek's car to standing mere inches in front of an unsuspecting Thomas, stretched to his full height and eyes glossy, but steely. He took the beta man's hands between his own and gripped them so hard the werewolves could hear poor Thomas's bones creaking. The omega pinned him down with a weighty stare, "Don't you dare hurt this car. It's very, very pretty." 

"Oooookay," Cora chuckled, a tad intimidated by this human all of a sudden, if only for their steward's sake. She interjected herself between Stiles and Thomas, gently pulling the omega's hands away from his to set Thomas free, "I think the only threat right now is you, little omega. Leave Tom alone." 

"Mm, alright, "All of the near-sober bravado drained from Stiles's body immediately after the percieved 'hazard' was taken care of. The sudden shift from a dangerous man to a drunken, but ultimately harmless omega almost gave Cora emotional whiplash. he couldn't even keep his hands steady when he turned and tried to open the doors to get himself back in the car. 

"CEO Hale, Miss Hale, should I..." Thomas trailed off, confused and a bit frightened. He had grown used to the Hales's peculiarities, but this new omega was... a different type of mess. 

Derek pinched the bridge of his nose, staving off a headache. He waved the man away and then knelt down to be close to eye-level with his daughter, "Go back inside with Thomas and go to sleep, alright?" 

Little Princess, who was still sorting through the crisis she felt of 'losing' the affection of her new favorite person, shook her head furiously as a rattle, pouting. 

Derek frowned but didn't let any irritation or negative emotion seep into his voice. He laid his hand over Princess's shoulder solemnly, "Stiles isn't himself right now. Most omegas don't like it when the people they care about most see them at their worst." 

Princess's eye glimmered as she seemed to consider his words for a moment. After a few seconds, she turned and left obediently. 

Cora frowned at her brother, "It's not nice to trick pups, Der." 

"Is there something you want?" Derek deadpanned back at her. 

"I'm just here for the show at this point." 

"Cora, I fucking swear--" 

"Alright, jeez," she scoffed, "You two don't stay up all night!" 

. 

. 

. 

"Mm, wh-whaddaya want?" Stiles slurred after Derek sat in the front passenger seat beside him. The omega curled himself over the steering wheel like he was protecting a treasure. 

Derek's mouth stayed in a firm, thin line. He figured if it was best the omega didn't find out what Derek _wanted_ from him. He undid the top few buttons of his shirt to escape the heat building up in his chest. 

Stiles watched his movements cautiously. As more of the alpha's broad, smooth chest was revealed, he became less focused on the car he'd been hellbent on protecting. He tightened his fingers around the steering wheel. He wanted to reach out and touch, but that was probably a bad idea. 

Derek hadn't noticed the omega's attention, too focused on suppressing his own turbulent emotions. He felt like a child about how jealous he had actually gotten over his own car. He pat down his pockets and pulled out a box of cigarettes. He _did_ notice the way the omega's eyes zeroed in on the cigarette after he lit it and took a long drag. 

The moment Derek brought out the cigarettes, Stiles was beyond resisting. He stared enraptured and unblinking at the alpha, eyes trailing down the long column of his throat and back up to the cigarette between his plush lips, the cloud of smoke trailing from the end. Derek was taken in by the omega's hungry gaze until he realized it wasn't him that Stiles was hungering for, but the cigarette. 

Derek really did need to thank his little sister. She was indispensable for her information-gathering skills and was really the best left hand anyone could ask for. He'd only leafed through the file she compiled for him, but there was loads of information in it- from Stiles's family tree, personal details he hadn't known about the Argents, to information of his adoptive family back in Beacon Hills. There was even a small note about the fact that Stiles was currently trying to kick a smoking habit. 

He must be having nicotine cravings. 

A niggling voice in the back of his mind bemoaned how undesirable the omega seemed to find him. He understood Stiles being drawn to his Silver Ghost. He even understood not being able to match up to an ex, _Stiles s first love_ , even if he was trying his best not to think about that part. But to lose out to a cigarette? Derek Hale had never been so frustrated in his life. 

From the moment Derek had met the omega, he wanted to make Stiles his. Still, he was careful, always thinking every single decision twice over in consideration of his feelings. Despite all his hard work, Stiles had never even considered Derek as a potential partner. The lines between them were clear and uncrossable. 

Stiles seemed like he would rather go out and be someone's sugarbaby than marry Derek and become his mate. 

Some people said that if a person was unable to get over an old love, it was because their new lover wasn't good enough. Was that the problem here? Stiles had already gotten so drunk after just seeing Scott McCall. Were the differences between Scott and Derek so much that-- 

Derek cut off that train of thought before he could fall too far down the rabbit hole. He understood that if he really wanted to woo Stiles, he'd need to take things one step at a time. He could be patient. 

_But surely_ , he thought, looking down at the way the omega's golden irises were swallowed by his blown wide pupils, _a bit of indulgence here and there couldn't hurt_. He took another slow drag from the cigarette. The red embers glinted in his eyes, reminiscent of the burning Alpha power thrumming beneath his skin, and his low voice rumbled throughout the car, "You want to smoke?" 

Stiles nodded without hesitation. He couldn't tell anymore if he was more attracted to the handsome alpha before him or the cigarette in his hand. 

Derek flicked away the ashes and then took another drag, moving slow under Stiles's fervent gaze. Suddenly, he leaned over and pressed his tobacco-tinged lips against Stiles's. 

The omega's eyes widened. He could only register the strong scent of tobacco and the rush of cool air that brushed past him when Derek moved to envelop him. A soft, warm tongue pushed his lips open, and a mouthful of smoke flowed into his mouth without any obstruction. Stiles choked on his own surprise and began coughing, batting the alpha away. 

Derek took another hit from the remaining dregs of the cigarette, looking calm and satisfied. Stiles pouted up at him. He obviously felt tricked and he _still_ hadn't really got a pull from the cigarette he wanted. Derek suppressed a smirk. The omega looked even more alluring like this, and he was tempted to bully him a bit more. He raised an eyebrow, "Want any more?" 

Derek laughed a bit when he saw the omega's glare sharpen. He took one last drag from the cigarette and then extinguished it in the ashtray. He gently cupped Stiles's cheek with one hand and gripped his waist with the other. Stiles wiggled a bit in his grasp but didn't try too hard to get away as the alpha moved their lips closer together. His voice came out husky, "Don't worry, I'll do it slower this time. Try to keep up." 

And then Stiles's whole world boiled down to the taste of tobacco and passionate kisses. The first kiss was a slow, almost innocent press of lips, but for the second he opened his mouth, the third sent shivers down to his toes, and after the fourth, he stopped bothering to count. 

_Bang!_

The set beneath him fell back and Derek's burning hot body followed him down. Stiles felt his breath being stolen away from him slowly and everything grew fuzzier and fuzzier until he drifted into the comfortable darkness... 

When the omega stopped reacting, Derek raised his head and noticed that Stiles had fallen fast asleep. He even started to snore a bit. Derek took a few slow, deep breaths to get himself back under control. 

Fuck, what was he doing? This omega was driving Derek insane. 

How long had it been since they met? A ridiculously short amount of time-- _only three days!_

Why did he want to move so fast? His attraction to Stiles Argent was completely irrational. As soon as he'd seen the omega, he had an intense feeling of finding something he'd lost. He'd felt like _he'd_ been found. 

Picking him up at the bar made his alpha yearn inside of him. It would take a little change, but he knew Stiles would fit into his and Little Princess's lives perfectly. He wanted that day to come soon. He wanted it _now_. 

But he didn't want to lose Stiles, so he would wait. 

Derek reached into the backseat of the car. He adjusted their positions so Stiles was lying on top of him, then adjusted the heat dial before laying the blanket over them both. He kissed Stiles's forehead softly. 

"Goodnight... my omega."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for why Stiles didn't notice how expensive the car was last chapter... our boi was _really_ drunk.
> 
> I hate this chapter and I think it's terrible but I promised a chapter per week, so here we are. I'll edit it later because _eugh_.
> 
> Also, I want you to know that I debated whether the phrase 'The sudden shift from dangerous man to a drunken, but ultimately harmless omega almost gave Cora emotional whiplash.' was appropriate to use in any context, because of the implication that man and omega are mutually exclusive and opposing states of being, never mind the kind of universe this is set in, it's got harmful implications IRL because of how the fanfic community percieves in-fiction omegas and the mental sexual/gender equivalencies and blah, blah, blah. A lot of stuff literally nobody cares about, but _look, language and pragmatics are **important** , okay????_ And I couldn't think of another way to phrase it (which is a problem unto itself) and it's such a small thing anyway, right? (Wrong, but let's ignore that.) I argued with myself over this for a literal hour. I also listened to Curio's Nier: Automata videos on repeat while writing the past few chapters. So, that might be part of it.
> 
> **  
> In hindsight, I could have just skipped over the scene, but it's too late nowwwwwwww :///////  
> **
> 
> I love you! Make good choices and all that stuff.  
> And, I guess... think critically about the language you use and the contexts in which it's done? Even if it wouldn't be appropriate to change it, be mindful of the assumptions and implications in your communication, because like... it's important.
> 
> You can visit me on tumblr~


	16. My Diagnosis Is That No One Has Been Treatin' You Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek pulls out his _smooth moves_ and Stiles has a good, long cry.  
> Also, guess who's back? Back again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lads, we've officially reached novel-length. Yikes.
> 
> (chapter's a little bit shorter than normal this week. i love you sorry OTL)
> 
> title today is from **Doctor** by Jack Stauber's Micro-pop!

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 15- My Diagnosis Is That No One Has Been Treatin' You Well_

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. 

. 

Stiles awoke in the morning wrapped in a warm embrace and draped over a large, solid body. 

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked up out the car window to see the breeze catching on leaves above them. Sunlight filtered through the tree's canopy. The birds chirped peacefully outside. 

In all the calm and comfort of the moment, it almost didn't bother Stiles that he had no idea where he was. 

He took in his surroundings slowly and was a bit surprised to find that he was sleeping in a car. From the silver-plated siding surrounding him, he was in _Derek Hale's Rolls Royce Silver Ghost_ specifically. To be even more exact, he was _in Derek Hale's arms in Derek Hale's Rolls Royce Silver Ghost_! 

Holy hell! 

Stiles tried to scramble away from Derek, but he ended up banging his head on the roof of the car. He winced and gritted his teeth at the sharp pain. 

_What the hell happened last night?_

Why did he wake up on top of Derek Hale? Why was the alpha's shirt half unbuttoned? 

Fuck, they hadn't--! 

_Had they?!?!_

_**In the car?!?!?**_

"What're you thinkin'>" Derek's voice was still slurry with the last dregs of sleep. 

Stiles bit his lip nervously. He answered without thinking, "I'm trying to figure out if I fucked the Big Bad Wolf in his shiny, expensive car last night. I mean, uh-" 

"Big Bad Wolf? Car sex?" Derek chuckled darkly beneath him. His eyes gleamed mischievously, slowly becoming more awake and aware, "You think that if all that happened, you'd really be so energetic right now?" 

"Ah!" Stiles snapped his mouth shut when he realized he'd spoken his thoughts aloud and that _Derek fucking Hale_ was there to listen to them. The omega stuttered, overcome with embarrassment, "A-alpha Hale!" 

"Why don't you call me by my name?" Derek hummed, gaze intense and unwavering. 

"Mister- Alpha Hale, I--" 

"That wasn't a question, Stiles, it was a request." 

Stiles's lip quirked downward. He called him Mr. Hale when he was trying to put distance between them and he used CEO Hale and Alpha Hale when the omega felt frightened. And, well, Derek Hale was quite an intimidating man. Stiles closed and opened his mouth a few times before trying again, "I... D-Derek?" 

A soft smile graced the alpha's lips. He liked the way his name sounded coming out of Stiles's mouth. 

That look made Stiles's heart flutter in his chest. He breathed slow, knowing that the alpha would be able to smell every slight change in his mood and hear every skipped beat of his heart. He knew how to handle himself and hide things from most werewolves well enough, but he didn't have too much experience tricking alphas. Besides, it was far too late to spell his uneasiness away. There was no way Derek wouldn't have questions if Stiles dared to do some sort of magic in front of him. Stiles was sure that the alpha had looked into everything about his at this point, but he would like to think he could keep at least one thing secret. His lips pressed into a thin, crooked line, "I- uh, I don't remember a lot of what happened last night. Jane paid for my drinks. Then there was a bathroom, I think. And you-" 

The omega's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Derek, "Are you _sure_ we didn't bang? Because I remember touching you _a lot_." 

"We didn't," Derek growled, low and raspy. He moved one of his hands up to rest on Stiles's waist, "but you seem to be thinking about it a lot. I'd love t-" 

Stiles squeaked and slapped his hands frantically over Derek's mouth to shut him up, "Nope! That's cool! We're cool! I believe you! So, um... What _did_ happen, then?" 

Derek quirked an eyebrow up at Stiles. The omega blushed and apologized profusely when he realized his hand was still covering the alpha's mouth. 

"I found you passed out in a bathroom at the hotel. I had to keep away from everyone's eyes and pretty much carry you to the car." 

Stiles grimaced. He didn't remember getting as drunk as he had, but then again, he never remembered much after such a high bender. He couldn't bear to think of what would've happened if someone saw Derek carting his limp body out of the hotel. Derek had taken a pretty big risk coming to get him. He still had more questions, though. 

"Then... why did we sleep in the car?" 

Derek's expression became displeased, "You didn't want to leave behind the new 'love of your life'." 

Stiles's eyes flitted around the car again, "Yeah, that sounds like something I'd do. I'll bet I was a handful. I'm _so_ sorry about whatever else I did last night!" 

He felt embarrassed beyond belief for having caused so much trouble. It was only his second night staying over, too! 

Derek waved him off, uncaring. He answered Stiles's apology with another seemingly unrelated question, "Why'd you even drink so much?" 

A spike of despair shot through Stiles. He lowered his gaze and his whole body seemed to curl in on itself, hunching over like he could become so small he'd somehow disappear. He normally would keep his worries to himself, but the words balled up inside his chest weighed him down far more than he wanted to deal with on his own. Stiles mumbled, voice reedy and desolate, "I... they're taking my role away from me. I can't act in _Distant Heaven_ anymore." 

At first, the way Stiles reacted to his question filled Derek with anger. He thought his suspicions had been confirmed0 Stiles really did drink himself under the table because of Scott McCall. But when the omega spoke, Derek was taken over by a sense of shock and confusion. His eyebrows quirked down, "What?" 

Stiles laughed, bitter and wan, "I don't expect you to understand. You've been rich and powerful your whole life, after all. And it was just a small supporting role, but... I worked so hard for this! I was so happy to get called back! I mean, finally! But now-" 

The gloom that was building up within Derek dissipated in an instant. He felt stupid for not understanding sooner. Of course this was about Stiles's part in the movie! How could Derek not understand how important the role was for Stiles? Otherwise, why would the omega have struggled for so long when there were much easier shortcuts he could've taken to get his way? 

He smelled the salt of tears pricking at the corners of Stiles's eyes. Derek pulled the lever to adjust the seat and lifted it and himself to be at eye level with Stiles. The new position left Stiles sprawled out on Derek's lap. The alpha pulled Stiles closer to him so the Stiles's head rested on Derek's shoulder and he was once again cradled in Derek's arms. 

"You did your best," Derek rubbed Stiles's back soothingly, "Everything is going to work out. Don't worry, it'll all be okay soon." 

On the inside, though, the alpha was livid. So Stiles's despair wasn't Scott McCall's fault this time. Instead, this must have been because of Christopher Argent. 

Argent Solutions was one of the largest sponsors for _Distant Heaven_ 's development and the Argent family themselves had made a significant contribution to the movie. Of course Christopher Argent would have a say in the final casting choices. 

Well, that wouldn't do. No one was allowed to bully Derek Hale's omega- not even to boy's own father. 

Derek would have this issue taken care of immediately. 

"You don't have to-" Stiles protested against Derek's comforting embrace, scrubbing tears from his eyes with the corner of his sleeve. Derek only hushed him and held him a bit tighter until Stiles gave in and broke down under the soft pressure. 

He really did try his best. He thought he'd given enough of his life away-- that he deserved a chance at happiness now. Still, every good thing he managed to hold on to was stolen from him. 

Stiles sagged in Derek's hold and sobbed against the alpha's shoulder. 

It took almost half an hour to calm himself back down after that. It had been extremely cathartic. Stiles hadn't let himself cry like that in nearly five years, after all, if one was discounting all of the times he had to shed tears for the camera. 

"I, uhm," Stiles stammered, realizing the mess he'd made of himself and Derek's shirt. He was probably blotchy red from his ears to his neck, "Sorry about your shirt. I can have it cleaned if you want?" 

The corners of Derek's lips lifted softy, "No. It's an honor, actually." 

"O-oh." 

Stiles cleared his throat nervously, fidgeting in the alpha's lap. He felt dazed and his heartbeat wildly in his chest. Outwardly, Derek Hale seemed like the kind of alpha who didn't care for anyone's feelings. Stiles had been around enough people to know that very attractive alpha didn't need to think about anyone besides themselves. He figured that went doubly so with an alpha like Derek Hale, who wasn't only drop-dead gorgeous but also had money and power. Instead, Derek kept surprising Stiles with little glimpses of the charming, sensitive alpha underneath all his frightening dour and gloom. 

Stiles was almost jealous. Derek was a charming bastard when he wanted to be, it seemed. Everybody take note. 

"So, what's the plan now? Gonna go beat up some werewolves? Find a _good daddy_?" 

Stiles choked on his spit, "Um, what?!" 

Derek gave him a lingering, intense look, "Last night, you kept threatening to beat me up. You also complimented my... daddy-ness?" 

The omega's face lit up with a fierce blush. He vaguely remembered threatening Derek several times. Goodness, "I, um?! I'm, like, _super_ sorry for all my drunk bullshit, Alpha Hale! I hope I didn't offend you or anything like that! Please don't take anything I said personally!" 

"So now you're taking your compliments back?" Derek raised a thick eyebrow, "You were a bit aggressive, but very friendly while you were drunk." 

"I," Stiles's brain stalled. 

Derek smirked, "Relax, Stiles, I'll stop teasing you. We should go inside soon. Unless you'd rather stay out here with your _love_?" 

"No, no, it's cool. Let's go!" Stiles fumbled with the door handle, eager to get out of the car and, more urgently, out of Derek's lap. 

After they were both out of the car, Derek stilled. There was a familiar scent in the air. He sighed. 

Stiles's brows furrowed, confused, "Alpha Hale? Is something wrong?" 

"No, but there will be soon," He frowned lightly, then turned to look down at Stiles, "And call me Derek." 

"Yes, Alpha Hale. I mean, uh, Derek." 

The alpha huffed, amused. He gripped Stiles's arm lightly and tugged him toward the door, "C'mon. Let's get in before she finds us." 

"She? Little Princess or Cora?" 

Derek walked just a bit quicker. The expression on his face was pained, but he didn't speak. Stiles knew the alpha had extremely acute senses and inhuman power, being a werewolf and all, so thinking of what could possibly stress Derek out was making Stiles _very_ nervous. Suddenly, he heard a car rumbling in the distance. Derek hurried them into the door, locking it quickly behind them. 

"Um? Derek?" 

"Do you remember where your room is? Upstairs, just across from Little Princess's," Derek spoke quickly, a pinched look on his face, "There's pajamas in the closet. You should rest a bit more." 

The alpha practically dragged Stiles up the stairs with him. They had almost made it into his room before Stiles gathered his thoughts and courage enough to struggle against Derek's grasp. Stiles stilled himself and spun around to look in Derek's eyes, "Al- Derek, is there something wrong? Like, some danger or something? I mean, I know I'm a pretty puny human, but I can probably help out somehow. Shouldn't someone be protecting Babywulf?" 

"Oh. Uh, we're not in danger or anything. It's just-" 

The front door downstairs slammed open, interrupting Derek in the middle of his sentence. An extremely vibrant voice rang loudly through the house, " _Guess who's back!_ It's me, the best Hale child! Where's my Little Princess?" 

Derek let out a long, annoyed groan. Stiles blinked, obviously confused, "Uh?" 

"I smell an omega! Is there an omega here? Holy fuck, Derek, did you bring your omega home?" 

"Laura, _shut up!_ " Derek growled. He blushed and shot Stiles an apologetic look, "You can, uh. Rest. Here. I have to go... talk. To my sister." 

"Yeah. I mean, yes, alph- yes, Derek," Stiles sputtered, face as cherry red as Derek's, "I'll, um. See you later." 

"Yeah," Derek awkwardly closed the door between them. Stiles stood still for a few moments longer, just trying to process everything that had happened since he woke up. 

_Fuck, what was his life anymmore?_

_And..._

_Did Laura Hale just call Stiles 'Derek's omega'?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When will my mental health return from the war lol?
> 
> So, I was typing up this chapter at my friend's house and she was like '0u0 whatcha workin on?'  
> me: nothin. just, yanno. stuff.  
> friend: is it homework?  
> me: no.  
> friend: is it... a story? can i read it?  
> me: lol most definately not  
> friend: what is iiiiiit?  
> me: i'm begging u pls stop i have to get this chapter done by saturday please
> 
> so we're about 300 words short because i dont really wanna explain my gay abo teen wolf fanfic to her, a woman who non-ironically enjoys Minions memes, because we will then have to have the Gay Talk _again_ which is never fun.
> 
> I'm thinking about maybe looking for a beta reader possibly? We're deviating a bit from the Full Marks, Hidden Marriage script and it'd be nice to bounce ideas around and improve my writing and that junk. Hell, I'd actually love to _be_ a beta reader. If anyone needs Teen Wolf or MHA betas, like... maybe hit ya boi up? Same if someone is interested in betaing for Living Well.  
> But, you know. These are all big maybes.
> 
> I love you! Pray for each other- there's strength in numbers!
> 
> xoxohungry


	17. i've got a perfect body but sometimes i forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This weeK:
> 
> 1\. Stiles has a bit of a breakdown.
2\. Cora gives... a shovel talk? Kind of?
3\. Stiles gets his job back!


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title this week is from **Folding Chair** by Regina Spektor

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 16-'i've got a perfect body but sometimes i forget'_

. 

. 

. 

The first thing Stiles did in the blessed relative solitude that the- _his >_ \- new room offered him was cast an extremely weak silencing spell on the door. He'd still be able to hear most of what was happening outside, but he'd at least be able to have a small panic attack in peace without any werewolves hearing and barging in. 

He sat down on the bed and took a few long, deep breaths. The last few days had been somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster and Stiles was frankly exhausted. However, he felt almost... lighter after talking with Derek that morning. It was funny. For so long since Stiles moved back to the States, he spent most of his time along or working. Life was a bit lonely now, but he tried to focus on the future. He'd almost forgotten how much he enjoyed being in close company with other people. Stiles _missed_ being in a full house. He _enjoyed_ being around Derek Hale and Babywulf. He even liked the little bit of time he'd gotten to talk with Cora and Laura Hale. The Hales had been unexpectedly kind to Stiles and as much as he appreciated it, it unsettled him as well. 

The omega balled his fists up in his lap, tense and uneasy. He had to remember that this was only short-term. He only agreed to be around for a few days- a few weeks at most- because of Babywulf's erratic emotional state. It wouldn't be long now before she didn't need him around anymore and as much as he was looking forward to the day when Babywulf could be completely healthy and happy, the thought of having to be alone again made his heart throb painfully. 

It made Stiles feel selfish and pathetic for getting attached so quickly again. 

Maybe he could visit the Hales every now and again when this was over? Although, if they ever looked farther into Stiles's past-- 

A soft knock at the door startled the omega out of his melancholic stupor. He shot up from where he was sitting to swing the door wide immediately. 

"Derek-" he started. 

"Oh?" It was Cora Hale leaning against the doorframe. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him, practically a mirror image of her big brother, and smirked, "So you two are on a first-name basis now? Should I be worried about my brother's chastity?" 

Stiles's cheeks turned bright red, "Um! No, nothing like that! I, um- Miss Hale, can I help you with something?" 

"I came to let you know we'll be having breakfast in about half an hour," Cora explained, "And to check in on you. It looked like you partied a bit too hard last night. Do you need anything? We don't keep Advil in the house- we don't need it, you know- but we can probably have someone pick some up for you." 

"I think I'll be fine," Stiles smiled at Cora obligingly. 

Cora smacked her lips, "Well, if you're sure. By the way, Stiles, you might as well call me Cora at this point." 

"I-" Stiles tensed. As much as he had come to enjoy their company, each of the Hales made him uniquely nervous. All of his thoughts came spilling off of his tongue without much thought on his part, "Isn't this a lot? I'm not gonna complain,but I mean- this is a lot, right? I'm not making sense, am I?" 

"No, I get you," Cora sighed. The friendly smile slipped off her face. She scrubbed the heel of her palm over her face, suddenly seeming a bit exhausted, "Look, Derek and Princess _really_ like you. You're cool, I guess. And you saved my niece, which counts for something. I'm not sure what Derek- whatever. Just relax, okay? Breakfast is in half an hour." 

"Yeah. Okay, yeah," Stiles let out a slow, deep breath, cheeks puffed up full of air, "I'm gonna just. Take a shower, then." 

Cora shot her hand out before Stiles could move. She blocked the whole doorway so he couldn't move past her and gripped the frame so hard that Stiles could hear the thin wood creaking, "A word of advice, though. Don't fuck this up, omega." 

Stiles swallowed. He felt cold all of a sudden. When he spoke, it was in a reedy, almost inaudible whisper, "Got it. Thanks." 

"Alright!" All of the severity that had made her seem so large and cold in those moments drained away from Cora in an instant. She grinned happily, the picture-perfect image of the youngest Hale socialite, and she slapped a hand lightly on Stiles's shoulder, "Good talk!" 

. 

. 

. 

The good thing about the Hales being frighteningly rich was that Stiles didn't at all feel bad about taking a long, hot shower. The water soothed his aching back and fought away the headache he felt coming on. He was still a bit hung over and Cora's... shovel talk? Whatever that had been ratched up his already mounting stress about losing his role in _Distant Heaven_. There was still time before breakfast, though, so when Stiles got back to his room, he opened up Twitter on his laptop. H scrolled through it for a few moments before opening his one of his DMs. 

> xLittleRedx: yo 

Suprisingly, he received an instantaneous reply. 

> LizardKing: !!!!!!!!!! 
> 
> LizardKing: looks like little hotshot stiles finally remembered me???? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: hey so i need a favor 
> 
> xLittleRedx: wait gimme a sec to find the right reaction image 
> 
> xLittleRedx: ok got it 
> 
> xLittleRedx: *sent attached image*  
>    
>  [Image Description: Photoset of John Mulaney in Kid Gorgeous. In the first image,John Mulaney looks out at the audience and says "We want a gift!" In the second image, his expression is a bit more agressive. He shouts, "But only if it's money!"] 
> 
> LizardKing: *sent attached image*  
>    
>  [Image Description: a picture of Nick Young looking perplexed. There are several bolded question marks overlayed on the picture.] 
> 
> xLittleRedx: i need 8 mil 
> 
> xLittleRedx: dont ask why 
> 
> LizardKing: lol so im just supposed to shell out 8 million dollars like some kind of sugar daddy??? and im still not getting any ass??? and i dont even get to know why?????? 
> 
> LizardKing: ok stiles ok 
> 
> xLittleRedx: jax for real tho 
> 
> LizardKing: >:P alr fine i got ur back 
> 
> LizardKing: but i literally just invested my spare $$ (which u should look into btw) so itll take a little bit to earn it back 
> 
> xLittleRedx: how long? 
> 
> LizardKing: like 3 days 
> 
> xLittleRedx: youre my actual hero jax 
> 
> xLittleRedx: thnx 
> 
> LizardKing: dont sweat it 
> 
> LizardKing: lololol this is the first time youve ever asked my for help tho 
> 
> LizardKing: u sure ur okay???? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: ye 
> 
> xLittleRedx: so when are you getting back? 
> 
> xLittleRedx: i'll pick you up 
> 
> LizardKing: >:P asfsafsgegjgtr bitvh 

Stiles let out a snort of laughter seeing that his friend had gone offline. 

Still, he didn't really feel comfortable being in anyone's debt- especially in the debt of one of his exes. They were good friends now, of course, but asking him for money without sharing any context probably hurt his feelings. There was no other choice, though. It's not like Stiles could have borrowed the money from Derek Hale. 

Well, he probably could have, but it was a terrible idea to get any further involved with them. 

A few minutes later, Stiles received a call from Jennifer Blake. He groaned, annoyed, and took a deep breath before picking up the call, "Hello?" 

"Filming starts tomorrow morning at 9 so don't be late. You'll have to find a way there yourself because I'll be busy with Allison. It's not like you need my help anyway!" Blake was still as curt and impolite as usual. There seemed to be a little bit more of a bite today, though- almost as if Stiles owed her about 8 million dollars. 

"Wha- filming?" Stiles sputtered. 

"Are you still sleeping? Pay attention! You can't afford to be late on the first day!" Blake hissed and then immediately hung up. 

_What? Filming? Tomorrow?_ Stiles thought he had been fired! 

The omega scrambled out of bed and paced around the room before finally deciding to call Director Davies. 

"Who is this?" The man answered blearily. It really was quite early in the morning. 

"Good morning, Director! This is Stiles. Stiles Argent?" Stiles rambled nervously, "I'm super sorry to bother you this early, but I've got a question and-" 

"Ah. You're asking about Chairman Argent trying to switch you out?" 

"I- yeah." Huh. Looks like Chris Argent had done exactly what he said he would. What happened then? 

"Stiles," the director groaned, voice weary but warm, "Producer Adelstie, Screenwriter Davis and I are all extremely satisfied with you. However, you know that money means more than feelings in this industry. The people with the final say are always those who provide the funding. Last night, Chairman Argent did talk to me. He disagreed with your casting because he thinks you're too new." 

"Yes sir," Stiles whispered. His heart slowly sunk in his chest as Davies continued speaking. He really had been switched out, hadn't he? Then why had Blake called him about filming? 

"However, you got lucky, kid! Another sponsor seems to have taken a liking to you. They said you'd be perfect as Rhys and they didn't want anyone else playing the part. You get to keep your spot, so you'd better prove that you're worth it!" 

"Yes sir! Thank you!" Stiles's spirits were lifted immediately. A small thought tugged at the corner of his mind, though, "I thought Silverpoint Entertainment and Argent Solutions were the only sponsors for the film though?" 

"They signed on pretty last minute. You'll find out who it is later." His voice was threaded through with amusement and self-satisfaction. Why wouldn't he be pleased with an unexpected 50 million dollars basically fell into his lab? That and he didn't have to end up sacrificing quality by bowing to the whims of picky, ignorant sponsors and switch out the actor he was most satisfied with. 

"Got it! Thanks a bunch, Director Davies!" 

Stiles had just hung up when his door opened with a creak- it was an adorably sleepy-looking Little Princess! 

Stiles let out overjoyed peals of laughter and threw himself onto the little alpha, hugging her and laying a flurry of kisses on the crown of her head, "Babywulf, you're my lucky star! How wonderful! You're great! Everything is so great!" 

Babywulf, though a bit confused, preened under the affection. She smiled brightly and hung tightly onto the omega as well. 

Derek Hale leaned in the doorway, watching the scene with fond eyes. Little Princess shot a smug look at her dad over the omega's shoulder and his eye twitched a bit. The brat knew she was taking credit for his own efforts and felt no shame in relishing in the attention. Melody... really was a Hale child through and through- crafty and willing to play the long game. 

Whatever. Anything was worth it to see his two most precious people happy. 

Derek knocked lightly on the door, "You look happy. Did something good happen?" 

Stiles stood and swept Little Princess up to rest on his hip. He beamed up at the larger alpha, the smell of relief and happiness making his natural pine needle and petrichor scent vibrant and inviting, "Director Davies just told me I'm not getting swapped out! Turns out another sponsor signed on and they like me! Fu- I mean, heck, I got _really_ lucky this time!" 

"Oh?" Derek lifted an eyebrow seriously, "Congratulations then!" 

"Thank you!" Stiles hummed curiously as he pondered, "Although... he didn't say who the new sponsor was. Whoever it is must be someone with extremely good taste!" 

"You think so?" the alpha grinned. 

"Of course! They'd have to to pick me, right?" Stiles shot back comfortably. He had a sudden thought, "I'll be filming in the day most of the time now and I might need to film at night sometimes, too. What's gonna happen to Babywulf?" 

Derek didn't answer, instead looking to meet his daughter's eyes. The little girl was in a good mood after having been so thoroughly drowned with affection by Stiles. This news could have ruined that, but instead, her expression remained blissful. She wriggled around until Stiles let her down and trotted back to her room. 

Stiles tensed up, fearing the little girl would lock herself away again. He didn't expect the girl to return so quickly with a tablet opened up to a drawing app. She clumsily wrote a quick note and then showed it to the omega. It read: **"Congratulations!"**

Stiles was so touched he felt he might actually cry, "Thank you, Babywulf! You're my precious Little Princess!" 

Derek watched the two embrace, heart full to bursting and hoping things would be like this forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me, waking up saturday morning realizing that not only have i missed a holiday upload, but i also haven't even typed up any of this week's chapter: **ahfuckahfuckahfuckahfuck**
> 
> we're finally getting close to seeing jackson whittemore and i'mmmmmmmm yesssssssssss
> 
> also? i will run out of pages in my fanfic notebook in like... 3 pages? gotta run to the dollar store ig.
> 
> sorry for getting this out a bit late. 
> 
> I love you! Make good choices! Don't accidentally fall into harmful rhetorics because of social trends! Always try to get the most information you can so you can have an informed opinion! Hasty generalizations and unfounded narratives can have negative effects on lots of innocent people! Be critical of everything you consume (including this)! Okay, enough of that, TTYL!
> 
> xoxohungryliar


	18. Thank you. Next?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first real day of filming on set and Stiles receives a few gifts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A subtitle for this entire fic might be appropriately named **thank u, next** by ariana grande's, but I suppose we can just settle for it being the title of this chapter

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 16- Thank you. Next?_

. 

. 

. 

Actual official _for real_ filming for _Distant Heaven_ began the next morning promptly at 9 AM in a beautifully manicured private tea garden quite some ways away from town. The set was swarming with crew members- from the real stars of the show, Allison Argent and Garrett Douglasto make-up artists doing quick touch-ups on the actors, to one-day extras for the scene. 

They'd be shooting one of the most important scenes in the movie today and even if Stiles wasn't going to get much screen time or any lines at all, he could barely stop himself from vibrating out of his skin with excitement. Sir Canton, Princess Annette, and their company of knights would be encountering the story's villains for the first time at a large banquet held for foreign dignitaries by their king. They would need to use their quick wits to find out who their real enemies were within the crowds and prevent them from causing any chaos within their kingdom's borders. Stiles, playing Rhys, who was a relatively minor villain serving as the strongest mage in the enemy kingdom, wouldn't actually need to do much besides acting as a bewitching and graceful ornament at his prince's side. 

It would have been effortless if Stiles's costume for the day weren't composed of _so many damn layers_ and if it weren't _so damn hot outside_. He had to admit that he looked pretty fantastic in the opulent purple and green fabrics and sheer scarves, like the delicate little trophy the scene needed him to be, and the way the sun gleamed in the costume glass gems made them look almost like real precious stones, but he was sweltering inside of it and the sheer amount of fake jewelry and chains draped on top of him weighed him down. After filming one take of the scene, Stiles was sure he was dripping with sweat underneath the clothes, even if no one could tell how much he was suffering from the outside. 

As soon as the director shouted "Cut!", Allison's two assistants immediately rushed over to attend her every need. One of them had brought a portable electric fan and the other passed her a chilled water bottle. Stiles, on the other hand, wasn't an important enough actor to have any assistants to help him out. He couldn't even change out of his costume yet, as he still had scenes to film very soon. He unfastened the latch over his collar for a bit of air and slumped gracelessly back into his chair. One of the extras shot him a commiserating look but didn't hesitate to start removing their own layers when they were finally free from the camera. 

Several people fawned over and praise Allison's performance and even Director Davies himself paid her a few kind words after rewatching the scene on the cameras. He reviewed the scene a few times more from different angles, though, and took a moment to study Stiles's performance. Even though he had no lines and the camera focused on him very few times, his expression was perfect! He seemed enigmatic and indolent even while bored beyond reason and there was a look of contempt in his eyes, as if he thought everyone milling around were no more than insects beneath him that he wouldn't hesitate to crush beneath his heel soon. A bit of tension drained from Davies's shoulders. 

_Thank goodness._ It looked like the man could rest easy now that he was assured he and the rest of the casting crew had chosen well. 

At that moment, one of the assistants on set shouted excited, "Miss Argent! Miss Argent! Your boyfriend is here to visit you!" 

Scott McCall walked onto the set in luxurious, but casual clothing. He was ever the image of boyish charm and effortless attraction. Two employees trailed behind him carting a large box and when their boss start walking, they opened it up and began distributing small containers and utensils to everyone around them. The cast began to murmur excitedly around them. 

"Wow! Ice cream?" 

"It's Haagen-Daazs! Oh my goodness!" 

"How luxurious, right?" 

"Thank you so much for treating us, Mr. McCall!" 

"Allison Argent really is lucky, huh? It's only her first day on set and her boyfriend is already here to visit!" 

"Ach! Where's my alpha in shining armor already?" 

"Shut up and take the ice cream, you brat!" 

"Even giving you guys something to eat won't shut any of you up, huh?" Allison joked coquettishly. Everyone responded with a bout of friendly, good-natured laughter. The omega starlet took two small cartons of ice cream and walked over to give Stiles one. She smiled down at the other omega, "Stiles, you should eat some, too! You look a bit warm." 

"Thanks," Stiles accepted it politely. 

His sister had a tendency to play up her better qualities when there were more eyes around and _most especially_ when she was in front of Scott. It made Stiles exhausted and a bit annoyed to even watch her. He knew this girl- had breathed the same air, ate the same food, learned the same lessons as her for years, and even if it wasn't the lifelong connection siblings who were born to the same family had, he understood things about Allison in a way no one else ever would. She understood things others never would about him in turn. As much as he knew about her and how she ticked, he didn't understand how she could stand to act more perfect than she was all the time instead of being comfortable with the way she was and being close with the people who stuck around the real her. If Allison wouldn't grow tired, Stiles could muster up the energy to keep up with the act she was putting on. He had, after all, trained for this. 

After she returned to her seat, Allison looked up at Scott hesitantly, but bit her lip before saying anything. She seemed to contemplate the merits of speaking up internally for a few moments, but in the end, she made up her mind, "Scott? I'm a bit worried about Stiles." 

"Hm?" the alpha's eyebrows quirked down and he answered immediately, "What do you mean? What happened to Stiles?" 

"At the opening party last night Dad saw Stiles. I don't know what they talked about, but Stiles must have said something to make him _really_ upset. He wanted to get Stiles removed from the role..." 

"How did this happen?" Scott urged her to continue. 

"I don't know! But by the time I got there, Dad was _really pissed_!" 

"What happened after that? I mean, he's still here, so..." Scott glanced in Stiles's direction perplexed only to see that he was reading his script earnestly despite sweating underneath the beating sun. Although the boy looked miserable, there was an impish air about him as if he were in his own world where he was king. 

Allison looked around to make sure no one was paying close attention to their conversation and lowered her voice, "Dad called the production team last night. They agreed to switch Stiles out over the phone, but the next morning someone anonymously invested $50 million into the movie. Their only request was that Stiles _had_ to play Rhys. I... Someone throwing around money like that for an unbonded and unattached omega... I'm worried. You get it, right?" 

Scott's face twisted from concerned to confused and dark, "I know Stiles, Allie. He would never stoop to that level." 

"Aw, Scottie! You've always been so sweet, but you're also a bit naive sometimes, babe. You know how the entertainment industry works. It _changes_ people, Scott," Allison whispered, hiding a bit of aggravation beneath her fond and warm tone, "I'm lucky that I've got you and Mom and Dad to support me, but Stiles has cut himself off from all of us. He won't accept any help! You know what happens to omegas with no pack and no power." 

"Stiles? Stiles Argent?" a set assistant spoke up, "There's someone looking for you!" 

Everyone's eyes roved over to the scene behind the boy. It was too eye-catching to look away! 

Blossoming red roses... 

So many red roses in fact that before anyone had realized it, a large portion of the set had been flooded with them! _And there were still more coming!_

On such a hot summer day, seeing the firey red made everyone feel the heat that much more. Stiles almost felt like fainting when he was given a small card. It read in neatly printed letters: **"Don't forget to pick me up! ;) -LizardKing"**

"Mr. Argent, could you please sign off for the delivery here?" the delivery boy patiently held out a clipboard. 

Stiles grimaced, but tried to keep his tone polite and warm, "I'd really rather not. Is there a way you can send all of this back? It'll just be in everyone's way here." 

"Sorry," the boy shook his head firmly, "We promised our customer we would only leave after you signed the receipt!" 

One of the prop directors rushed over and came to Stiles's rescue, "Just sign off on it, hun. Coincidentally, we've got a scene that needs red roses later on and this'll actually save us a bit of money if you let us have them. And isn't there a pleasant smell in the air now? Don't worry about it!" 

Since the prop director gave permission and Davies seemed to agree, all Stiles could do now was sign off on the flowers and let the delivery boy go. By this point, everyone watching from the sides began whispering amongst themselves. Envy darkened some of their faces. 

"Wow! So many red roses!" 

"That's pretty romantic, hm? I wonder who sent them..." 

"You have to ask? Someone's obviously courting him! Omegas really are treated differently." 

"Look at how many there are! And on the first day of filming!" 

"Hm," one of Allison's assistants that Stiles recognized from Silverpoint hummed lightly, "It looks like a lot, but getting this many roses doesn't cost all that much." 

As he was saying so, another person walked up to Stiles and delivered a small box to him. Everyone was thoroughly interested in Stiles's business after the drama of the rose delivery. Stiles's lips thinned with discomfort and suspicion as he opened the box. Inside of it was a huge, glimmering diamond with a short hand-penned note: **"Long time no see. -T."**

Stiles's expression darkened sharply after he read it and he snapped the box closed. He huffed angrily. 

_What the hell? Were those two working together on this or something?_

Stiles had received flowers and diamonds within moments of each other! He was just trying to lay low and get through this movie so he could move onto bigger things, but now everyone's eyes were on him. Why? Why was the world always conspiring against him? 

It's not like there was anywhere for him to hide on the tea garden set. 

"Fuck! His suitors are crazy!" 

"Right? I've never seen a diamond that huge! I thought I might go blind!" 

"Yeah, but who knows if it's real or not..." 

Stiles's face was bright red, but he refused to back down or curl in on himself in shame. The roses may have already been taken care of, but what was he even going to do with a diamond like this? Whatever. He didn't have time to think about that now. He faced the cast and crew members head-on. He took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself before looking up at Director Davies, "Uh... Sorry about all this, Director. I didn't mean to cause a scene, but. Well." 

The director waved him off, chuckling lightly, "Don't worry about it, kid. It's normal for an omega like yourself to have a few suitors, isn't it? We even got the roses we needed for free!" 

From a bit further to the side, Allison's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She tried to keep her expression light, but she gritted her teeth and tugged a bit on Scott's sleeve. The alpha nodded down at her and laid his hand over hers soothingly. What kind of people were Stiles involved with now? 

Stiles took advantage of the short break between scenes to make a call. He rushed to the least populated area of the garden before dialing the number. The man on the other end picked up within one ring. Stiles could hear the smug grin he must have been wearing in his voice, "Hey, babe! Did you get my present?" 

" _Jackson. Fucking. Whittemore._ I'll kill you, you dumb fucking sewer rat! What the hell? You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Stiles hissed. 

"Ah, what? No thank you? You know, any other omega would be dropping their panties for me after such a romantic gesture!" 

"Any other omega _my pansy white ass_! Why would you send me all these fucking roses?!" 

"I just wanted to make sure you don't forget to pick me up from the airport! You promised me, Stiles." 

"Oh, I'll show you a promise, asshole! I promise to gut you like a fish if I see you!" 

"So you're gonna go back on your word?" The other man's voice turned cold. 

Stiles rolled his eyes, "Look, my condition for picking you up was getting the 8 million, but I don't need it now. Didn't I text you earlier and say that?" 

"Oh, no, no you don't, Stilinski! You made a promise and you're gonna keep it! I agreed to give you the money the moment you asked. $8 million is no chump change, so the way I see it is I did you a favor whether you need the cash or not!" 

Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh, "Alright, whatever. _Whatever._ But, look, okay? News of you getting back has already leaked. Your fans are gonna be swarming the airport. TMZ will be there! You want me to get torn to shreds? Jeez, I only dumped you- we're still friends, aren't we? Why are you making things so difficult for me?" 

"Difficult? Oh, I'll show you difficult, asshole!" Jackson parroted the tone Stiles had used with him earlier, "I got something for ya. If you don't pick me up from the airport, I'll just tell everyone you dumped me." 

" _You wouldn't fucking dare_ ," the omega hissed. 

"Wouldn't I? Sure I'll be a little bit embarrassed, but all press is good press. It'll even boost your career being connected to me." The alpha's voice was practically dripping with smarm. 

Stiles stewed in infuriated silence for a few seconds. He bit his tongue, fearing he would shout loud enough to get everyone's attention if he didn't calm down first. The dumbest thing Stiles had ever done was get involved with a troublemaking attention seeker like Jackson Whittemore. He'd make that alpha regret ever messing with him though, that was for sure. 

"Okay, Jackson. You win. I'll see you at the airport later," his voice came out cold and steady, "I just hope you won't regret it!" 

He ended the call sharply, mourning the fact that he couldn't flip it shut or slam it down dramatically. Oh yeah, he'd be getting back at Jackson Whittemore. Revenge would be plenty fucking sweet, too when the smarmy bastard was begging for forgiveness. 

His only trouble now was the impudent dumbass who had sent the diamond. 

He put the thought away from his mind. That could be taken care of later. Stiles had other things to worry about now. 

"Stiles Argent?" the assistant who had spoken to him before came up to him to get his attention. She looked a bit nervous when he saw Stiles's dark expression, though. He yelped a bit when Stiles's gaze slid over him, "Ah! Um, th- there's someone looking-" 

The omega growled. Was this ever going to end? Who was it this time? 

Everyone on the set was suddenly full of energy. Was this gift going to be even flashier than the last two? How would another suitor measure up? They whispered amongst themselves again. 

"I wonder what it'll be this time!" 

"No fair! I want alphas to pamper me, too!" 

"Hm. It's not very classy to just throw money around like that, though." 

"Especially for an omega that seems to have a lot of alphas wrapped around his finger." 

"I wondered how such a nobody would get a part in this film when everybody else was such a big name star!" 

"Nobody knows if he's got talent on screen, but seeing all this... he's probably talented in other ways." 

Stiles fumed listening to all the tittering crew gossip about him, but he tried to keep his anger to himself in front of the nervous girl before him. He could practically see her knees shaking. He sighed, "You're looking for me?" 

"U-um! Yes! I um, brought- you have a d-delivery." She opened a small cooler. Mist began to bubble over the sides and through the ice, he could see three glass bottles filled with different colored liquids. Stiles eyed them suspiciously. Maybe he watched too much TV, but his first thought upon seeing them was that they might be poisoned or something. The girl continued, "T-these were made personally by our L-little Boss! There's one orange juice, one watermelon j-juice, and one is Kale-Lemonade!" 

"I," Stiles stalled. He couldn't think of any 'little bosses' he offended recently that had a juicing habit, "Um. Who's your little boss again?" 

The girl handed him a small handwritten note and made a gesture that encouraged him to read it. The note was written large, clumsy crayon letters and there was a little red heart at the end. It read: **Good luck! Do your best!**

Stiles's eyes widened and his heart swelled up with joy. His expression turned gentle and he smiled brightly, "It's from my Princess!" 

The tension that had been building up in his body all day drained immediately. Stiles had been worried before about having too high of a profile, but why should he even care? Peoples' eyes would always be on him in this industry. 

In the past, he cared too much about the opinions of upper-class socialites even though he'd known they'd always look down on him. He cared too much about what his biological parents thought. He even tried his best to bend and change himself to suit Scott's preferences. Being so wary and compromising for every single moment of his life was exhausting and when he burned out, _he burned out hard_. Stiles had completely lost himself in the effort to please everyone but himself and by the end of it, he couldn't remember who he was anymore. How could he let himself fall down into that kind of spiral again over something so small as a few gifts? 

Stiles only had to be himself, do his best, keep a clear conscience, and then he'd be able to prove himself to the world! That was only three things, right? It would be easy! 

After all, he was only fighting for himself and the people who cared about him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kale lemonade Juice sounds nasty but theres this place about an hour away from me by bus and the lady who owns it cooks everything by hand and all of it is vegan and ger kale lemonade, son.... HOO BOI! If anyone's been to What's in Your Cup smoothie, child, then you have also seen the light!
> 
> I might draw a picture of Stiles's costume and put it on tumblr.
> 
> What's the message for today.... um. Complacency when theres action to be taken to prevent violence against innocents is the same as committing the violence yourself. Try not to beat yourself up about missed opportunities in the past. Just focus on taking them in the future! Also! The effectiveness of electoralism (in the US specifically but I'm sure in other places too) may be crumbling but that does not relieve you of your responsibility to perform your duties until we can revolutionize the system! If you're able to do anything, that is. I'm not saying uphold this I'm just saying do what's feasible in the moment to secure a better future.
> 
> Alright, I love you!!! Make good choices from the options available to you! Love yourself! Be kind! I'll pray for you! 
> 
> xoxohungry


	19. This Is Hungry Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek ponders the concept of parallel play.  
> Stiles _tries_ to catch the bus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to point out any mistakes. I think next week, I'm gonna go through and edit a few chapters.  
> EDIT: I'm dying this week so no new chapter. My apologies. Double upload (at least) next week as an apology. 
> 
> This week's chapter title is from **Take Me to Church** by our hero Hozier, who btw openly endorsed Sanders and Warren on Twitter and tbh? i do stan

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 18- This Is Hungry Work_

. 

. 

. 

"You can put the cooler down over here so it won't be in the way of the cameras! Please pass along my appreciation to your boss!" Stiles took out his phone to send Babywulf a message as he said so excitedly. 

The cast and crew did a bad job of hiding how much they were snooping in Stiles's business. They were confused. This newest suitor had only sent three bottles of juice? 

The omega had gotten stressed out over the roses and he'd even been angry about the diamond, but he seemed absolutely overjoyed with the juice. He was even happily texting someone on his phone without paying anyone else a lick of attention. 

They whispered to each other, lamenting amongst themselves. 

"Well, look at that! Money isn't enough to win an omega these days! You've got to put your whole heart into it!" 

"Did you hear what that girl said? All of that is handmade! How sweet!" 

"But it's just some juice! The other two were so cool!" 

"Bah! What's so cool about flaunting your wealth! You can have all the money in the world and not a lick of sense!" 

"I bet he'll pick the one who sent the juice!" 

"What! You're crazy! Did you see the size of that diamond! He'll pick that one!" 

"Why isn't anyone rooting for whoever sent the flowers?" 

. 

. 

. 

Derek was taking a short break in his home office. He'd decided to work from home today and spend a bit more time with Little Princess- not that they were interacting much. She was sitting near the window with a large book resting in her lap, but he didn't think she was really paying it any attention. Every so often she would stare at the clouds and sigh. He had read about parallel play in his parenting books, though, when she was small, and he figured this must be something like that concept. 

His phone buzzed with a text message. He swiped the screen open and the corners of his mouth lifted as he read it. 

**"Babywulf,"** it read, **"thanks for the juice! It was super yummy! Lots of love~!"**

He looked at the message for a few moments more, at ease in the swell of domestic feelings it caused in him, then he waved his daughter over, "Princess, come look at this." 

She didn't even twitch, seemingly lost in her own world. Or ignoring him deliberately. The man sighed, "It's a text from Stiles." 

That made the pup blink and perk up. She scuttled over to him quickly as a heat-seeking rocket. She tried to grab the phone from his hands, but Derek lifted it up too high for her to reach. He grinned down at her teasingly, "I'll let you see it... _if you call me Daddy_." 

The girl huffed and pouted, crossing her arms over her chest to make her refusal clear. 

"Or Papa. Or Dad. You can pick," he chuckled. He dangled the phone between two fingers and lowered it a bit before snatching it right back up when the girl jumped to grab it. She glared at him, infuriated that he'd tricked her. Little tears even began gathering at the corners of her eyes. 

The sight of his pup distressed softened Derek's heart. He ruffled the hair at the top of her head and gave her the phone without any more strife. 

Derek's mouth unconsciously quirked into a frown as he watched his daughter read the text with glee and satisfaction practically radiating from her form. There were very few things that could stress Derek out quite as much as his Little Princess Melody. For as much as he possessed the emotional range of a tablespoon, the depth to which he felt them were unending and he adored his daughter with every bit of his heart. Though Melody often made a show of fighting against him, Derek knew she loved him, too. 

Princess was very sharp- remarkably intelligent for a child her age and more observant than most adults at times. She learned things quickly, even having been able to speak by the time she turned 6 months old. The Hales had been ready to enroll her in an advanced school before-- 

Well. 

Melody hadn't spoken in a long time. 

Derek often felt guilty for missing out on so much of Princess's earlier childhood. By the time he'd gotten his shit together and was ready to make up for lost time with his daughter, he was already far too late. Now he didn't know if he'd ever get to hear his daughter call him Daddy again. 

The phone buzzed again in Princess's hands. He watched her swipe the notification away, so it must not have been from Stiles. After that first message, though, they just didn't stop coming. Within the next 5 seconds, Derek counted 10 separate received text messages. He sighed. There was only one person that had his phone number and such a rapid texting pattern. 

Little Princess pouted and gave the phone back to her dad so he could take care of the issue. 

All of the message notifications clogged up his screen. 

> Cora [2:16]  
>  Der  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  Der guess wat  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  Ur not gonna believe this shit  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  Im cackling ur gonna b so pissed  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  asfalkjsgjals  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  guess wat happend  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  its abt stiles  
>  Cora [2:16]  
>  bro u picked a hell of a omega  
> 

Derek rolled his eyes as he typed out a short reply. 

> D. Hale [2:17]  
>  ?  
> 
> 
> Cora [2:17]  
>  sooooooooooooooo guess who got gifts from like  
>  Cora [2:17]  
>  some secret admirers today  
>  Cora [2:17]  
>  dont guess cuz i already said its stiles  
>  Cora [2:17]  
>  it made a really big scene  
> 
> 
> D. Hale [2:18]  
>  Why? Princess only sent him some juice.  
> 

The typing icon showed up onscreen but stopped abruptly as soon as Derek's message went through. Her next message took an uncharacteristically long time. 

> Cora [2:19]  
>  Princess sent stuff 2?  
> 
> 
> D. Hale [2:19]  
>  Who else sent gifts to Stiles?  
> 
> 
> Cora [2:19]  
>  idek  
>  Cora [2:19]  
>  hold on look at this  
>  Cora [2:19]  
>  *multimedia attachement [00:00:10.3]*  
> 

Derek opened the attachment and a short video played. It was a shaky recording obviously done on the phone of someone who didn't want to look like they were recording anything. Dozens and dozens of blossoming red roses were being carted onto a garden set. A person next to the camera wielder whispered sharply, "Oh my goodness! Look, can you see it? Someone just gave him a diamond, too!" 

The camera shook a bit more and the picture became blurry as it zoomed in. He saw a pixel-mussed frown marring Stiles's face as he snapped a hinged box shut right before the video ended. 

Derek fought back a possessive growl. He closed his eyes, counted to five, and when he opened them again, he sent two more messages to his little sister. 

>   
>  D. Hale [2:21]  
>  I've got another favor to ask.  
>  Find out who sent him the gifts.  
>  Cora [2:21]  
>  Whats the magic word?  
>  D. Hale [2:21]  
>  Please.  
> 

Derek rolled his eyes. He turned the phone's screen off, thinking that the conversation would be over, but a few seconds later the screen lit back up with a few more messages. 

>   
>  Cora [2:22]  
>  I mean i'll do it but like  
>  Cora [2:22]  
>  This would be much easier if you would let me investigate the omega  
>  Cora [2:23]  
>  He's got secrets Der weird weird weird secrets i can tell  
>  Cora [2:23]  
>  It makes me uncomfortable
> 
> D. Hale [2:23]  
>  He'll talk when he's ready. Just look into the alphas. Only the alphas.  
>  D. Hale [2:23]  
>  Please.  
> 

. 

. 

. 

Filming didn't end until six that evening. 

The most important scenes of the day were focused on the two lead protagonists, Allison Argent and Garret Douglas playing as Princess Anette and Sir Canton respectively. Although Stiles wasn't featured in too many of the scenes filmed, he still had to appear in the background of quite a few. He basically served as an ornament for the whole day, but even just looking pretty for the camera ended up being pretty exhausting what with Stiles's costume being an elaborate mess of thick, colorful fabrics and opulent-looking jewelry. The unbearable heat persisted even after the sun set. He felt heavier and much more faint as the hours ticked on and the humidity didn't waver. Stiles would be lucky if he wasn't covered in heat rashed by the time he got home. 

When he was finally released, he wasted no time shedding his layers and wiping off the makeup from the day's work. He threw on a thin, but baggy hoodie and some large sunglasses to make himself look a bit more like any other twenty-something walk down the street. Stiles wasn't famous enough for his face to be easily recognizable, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. He made his way to the nearest bus stop and scrolled through rideshare prices on his phone, internally debating whether it was worth taking the bus further into the city only to need to catch a marginally cheaper rideshare back to Platinum Place anyway. 

Stiles tensed up as a sleek black sports car slowed down to a crawl before stopping as close to the sidewalk as it could get. He took a few steps away from the curb and put his phone in his pocket, preparing to make a quick getaway if the situation were to suddenly call for it. The front passenger window rolled down slowly to reveal the alpha in the driver's seat. Scott McCall leaned over, smiling brightly up at Stiles from within his Maserati Granturismo, "Hey, Stiles! Want a ride home?" 

Stiles rolled his eyes at the alpha, holding in a longsuffering groan. 

_Great. Another ex._

Stiles wondered what terrible crimes he must have committed in a past life for him to have exes that caused him so much trouble even after they weren't together anymore. Why couldn't the world just let him be at peace for 10 minutes? 

"No, thanks," Stiles deadpanned back at him. The omega began to walk away, deciding that waiting for the bus wasn't worth it if he'd have to put up with this bullshit. Scott seemed to take his words less as a dismissal and more as an invitation to drive slowly after him. 

"Come _on_ ," Scott called in a wheedling tone, "Can't we just talk?" 

Years ago, Stiles would have given into anything Scott asked at the first sight of the pout marring the alpha's face now, but today it just made his eye twitch with irritation. The omega scoffed, "We have nothing to talk about. Thanks, but I'm done with drama for the day. Or were you waiting for someone to come around and take a picture with us so I can get into _more_ trouble?" 

Scott frowned. He was unaccustomed to being denied anything so coldly by this omega who had jumped to take part in every harebrained scheme Scott had ever uttered for so much of their lives. He tried again, "You know I don't want that, man. I just- It's kind of important! Can we get lunch or something? Burgers on me! Like old times, right?" 

Stiles's expression only darkened further. He huffed and ran his fingers through his hair, thoughts moving a mile a minute. Scott's car was too eyecatching. If they kept talking on the side of the road like this, they would definitely be photographed sooner rather than later. He looked to the left, then the right, checking to see if anyone was watching before deciding to choose the lesser of two probable evils and get in the Maserati. 

"Alright!" Scott's face brightened with a grin. He rolled the window back up and eased his foot off the breaks, "Put your seatbelt on, bro. Oh, man, just you wait! You're gonna love this place!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *for reference, it's not that Princess calls Derek by his name or anything. She just doesn't call him anything at all. She gets his attention in some other way rather than addressing him as dad whenever she's talking to or about him. Like, if she's writing a note to Cora abt Derek, she'll be like "he wants something from you"
> 
> lol walgreens has noticed how much ive been buying sleep aids from them and now they've started sending me otc anti anxiety and depression med coupons and i think thats beautiful. Also this is your brief reminder that modern neoliberal capitalism creates a surveillance state to the state where it's basically impossible to keep any modicum of privacy. Alright, that's my soapbox for the day. Whenever I give a political message in the notes I feel like I'm some doomsdayer standing on the corner like **the end is nigh**. Which. I don't wanna be that guy but if the world ends there won't be fanfic anymore. 
> 
> **As Bill Nye the Science Guy would say, 'The planet's on fucking fire!'**
> 
> Thanks for reading! I love you! Please make the best choices you can within the circumstances you're in! Be kind! Fight for your rights and the rights of others~!
> 
> Oh! And happy Lenten Season for those of you participating! For those of you not, don't worry- it's just Christian Vibe Check Month lol


	20. I'm So Sorry To Mankind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " **Stiles, will you shut the fuck up for once in your life!** " Scott roared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ASDFHFSAKLL just realized that you can tell if its gonna be a soft/fluff chapter or not depending on if the title is all lowercase and this chapter Is Not Soft, lads. On one hand I wanna say 'Whoops dont be mad?' But on the other hand... you were all expecting this, weren't you?
> 
>  **CONTENT WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER:**  
>  -Discussion of Past Rape/NonCon/DubCon  
> -Discussion of Nonconsensual drugging (idk what to call heat inducers)  
> -Discussion of Loss of an infant/Stillbirth  
> -Rape apologetics  
> -A bit of victim blaming
> 
> You stay safe, ok?
> 
> Chapter title from **Universe Cat Drowing** by Kikuo (fluffowuffo's translation)

**Living Well**

Full Marks Hidden Marriage X Teen Wolf Fusion 

_Chapter 19- I'm So Sorry To Mankind_

. 

. 

. 

> Cora [6:35]  
>  Der bads news or good news  
>  Cora [6:35]  
>  Well bad news or ambivalent news ig  
> 
> 
> D. Hale[6:36]  
>  Ambivalent news first.  
> 
> 
> Cora [5:37]  
>  I have aliases for the alphas courting Stiles  
> 
> 
> D. Hale [5:37]  
>  What's the bad news then?  
> 
> 
> Cora [5:37]  
>  I have no idea who they actually are  
>  Cora [5:37]  
>  And neither does anyone else  
>  Cora [5:37]  
>  Like literally my entire network is like idfk  
>  Cora [5:37]  
>  But tbh who calls themleves Lizard King like wat  
>  Cora [5:37]  
>  How am i supposed to trace that?????  
> 
> 
> D. Hale [5:38]  
>  Who's the other one? 
> 
> Cora [5:38]  
>  T. Just T. Im?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!  
>  Cora [5:38]  
>  Why? U gonna put it thru ur network too??  
>  Cora [5:39]  
>  Wait no really are you?  
> 
> 
> Cora [5:43]  
>  Derek?!?!?!?! 

. 

. 

. 

>   
>  B [5:50]  
>  CEO Hale you know that I value and respect you  
>  B [5:50]  
>  This is very far from your usual requests  
>  B [5:51]  
>  I need you to work with me, sir. What the hell am I supposed to do with this?  
> 

. 

. 

. 

When the waiter finally came, Scott ordered an abundance of different dishes and a bottle of dry wine. He knew realistically that there was no way he and Stiles would be able to finish all of it in one sitting no matter how voracious their appetites could be, but he wanted the omega to be able to have a bit of all his favorites. Or, well, Scott thought they were Stiles's favorite foods. He didn't really know if his tastes had changed at all in the time they'd been apart. Scott smiles and cleared his throat before speaking, "It's been a while since we've caught up like this, right? What's been up with you lately? Did you enjoy your time overseas? I, uh, I tried to send you some money, but it all got sent back. Then you changed your account number, so I was never really sure if you were being taken care of." 

"Let's cut the shit, McCall. What do you want?" Stiles snapped at him. He sat with his chin propped in his hand, arm leaning on the table while he used his other hand to send a text to Babywulf letting her know he'd be back late tonight. 

Scott winced at the omega's sharp words and ultimately flippant behavior. He figured Stiles would mellow out a bit since they were in a private room now where they could speak without fear of interruptions or watching eyes. If the omega was really going to be hostiles, though, Scott figured he might as well he might as well get to the point. He pushed a check across the table and didn't remove his hand from it until he was sure Stiles was looking down at it. 

The omega raised a judgemental eyebrow. The check was already signed and notarized for $8 million. His eyes narrowed, "What's this for?" 

Scott had a solemn expression on his face, "Stiles. Don't do anything you're gonna regret." 

_Oh?_ That sentence made Stiles lay his phone face down on the table. He stared Scott straight in the eye, unwavering and smiling as sweet as cough syrup, "Yeah? What do you mean? What did I do this time?" 

"What do you mean _what do I mean_?" Scott growled, "Tell me how you got this role, Stiles!" 

Stiles crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. His voice held almost no emotion when he spoke again, "How do _you_ think I got the role, Scottie?" 

The alpha slammed his fist on the table between them and the sudden impact made their glasses shudder and splash water everywhere, but Stiles didn't even flinch. The alpha came to the limits of his patience and shouted, uncaring of the people who might hear him outside the confines of their private little room, "Damn it, Stiles! You know what kind of trouble an omega like you can get in in the entertainment industry! Why are you still trying to do something so stupid?" 

"Excuse me? _An omega like me?_ " Stiles's faux smile sharpened until it appeared more bestial than obliging, " _Who the hell do you think you are?_ Since when do you have a say in _my_ fucking life, huh?"

The truth is, years ago Stiles might have broken down and buckled beneath the weight of the alpha's words, thinking that Scott only wanted the best for him and that he should try his best to please his alpha. When they were together Scott told him over and over again that he didn't want the omega he planned on bonding and marrying to be in the entertainment industry. Now, though, he fully supported Allison's dreams of becoming a famous actress with his whole heart. Even so, he was sitting in front of Stiles trying to dictate how the omega should live his life again. 

"Stiles, even though we broke up, you'll always be my best bro. I just wanna help you so please," Scott met Stiles's gaze firmly, "Take the money so you can break your contract with Silverpoint. So you can stop this." 

Stiles grit his teeth. His scent was radiating so much anger that he was suprised the alpha wasn't choking on it and he felt no intention of controlling himself in this regard unless the other man actually _did_ choke, "What? Are you trying to _help_ me? Is _that_ what you think this is?" 

"Stiles-" 

"I'll tell you what! You actually _can _do me a favor, Scottie!" the omega seethed, "How about you do me a solid and tell the Argents what really happened to me, alright? And then you can come to court with me and testify that Allison spiked my drinks with an illegal heat inducer while knowing that there were two alphas planning to _rape me_. That sound good?" __

____

____

__"Stiles, I-" Scott cut himself off, face turning deathly pale, "Things weren't supposed to turn out the way they did. She didn't- It wasn't even Allison's idea! Saying anything now wouldn't do any good. It would just ruin Allison. And you didn't even go into the right room! Those alphas were wrong, but they never even ended up- I mean... It's just. What happened wasn't her fault."_ _

__Stiles had expected an answer like that, but to hear Scott say it to his face made the omega's heart throb painfully against his ribs. He balled his hands into fists so tight his nails bit into the meat of his palms painfully. he hissed back at the alpha, hissing through his clenched teeth, " _So you mean none of you did anything wrong? And it was just my fault I got drugged? My fault those two alphas wanted to rape me, my fault that I actually got raped, my fault I got pregnant with a bastard, right? And then when I gave birth to a stillborn child, that was my fault, too, huh? Silly me, I guess I didn't fucking realize! All my fault. I did it to myself and it's **all my fucking fault.**_ " __

____

____

Scott frowned, hands raised in the air as a gesture of innocence, "Woah, woah, Stiles! That's not what I'm saying, man! Me and Allison have already apologized for what happened that night! We've been trying to make it up to you for years. Why can't you let it go?" 

"Oh my _**fucking goodness!**_ " Stiles pushed himself away from the table and stood. In some distant part of the back of his mind, he could hear the chair falling and clattering on the floor behind him, but he was far too incensed to care, " _You never fucking listen! You don't even fucking care! You've never **cared** , Scott!_" 

"Stiles, that's not true!" The alpha tried to speak up. 

" _Isn't it, Scott? What if- Fuck! What if this happened to Allison, huh? What if some asshole tried to rape Allison and-"_

_" **Stiles, will you shut the fuck up for once in your life!** " _Scott roared. 

For a moment, the room was silent except for the echo of their heavy breaths. Then, Stiles laughed, wan and bitter as the bile he could feel crawling up the back of his throat, "Wow. You got so mad over that hypothetical, didn't you? But when it's- You know, fuck it. I don't know how or why I'm supposed to forgive you for something you don't even regret. I'm not some fucking saint, Scott. I don't know what you want from me. I can tell you you're not gonna get it, though." 

Stiles picked up his phone, spun around, and opened the door to come face to face with several waiters carrying mountains of food piled on trays. Not a single one of them met his eyes and they scurried away quickly to make a path for him to exit through. He grunted the barest of acknowledgments and tried not to make physical contact with any of them as he brushed past, ignoring the way his stomach churned. 

It was far past time to go home. 

. 

. 

. 

Stiles had only just stepped foot into the Hale residence when he heard lightning-quick footfalls racing towards him. He closed the door behind him before immediately dropping onto his knees and opening his arms wide to catch Babywulf. The pup threw herself into his embrace and laid a big, smacking kiss on Stiles's cheek, wrapping her arms tightly around the omega's shoulders. 

Stiles felt all the stress that had built up inside his body over the day wash away from him as he returned her hug. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, "There's my Little Princess! You ate, right? I texted earlier and said I'd be late, so you shouldn't wait for me. Did you do what I said?" 

Babywulf nodded and returned Stiles's smile with one of her own.

Stiles sighed with relief, "Good- that's good, sweetheart. I'm gonna go take a shower and then maybe we can read a book before bedtime?" 

Babywulf nodded fervently and wiggled out of Stiles's grasp to go put her own pajamas on, leaving Stiles to take care of his business alone. When Stiles got back to his room, the first thing he did was strip out of all of his sweat-soaked clothes and flop onto the bed wearing nothing but his boxers. He wanted to take a shower soon, but he needed just a little bit of time to decompress in solitude and quiet. Exhaustion tugged at his bones and eyelids. Maybe a short nap wouldn't hurt... just for two minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is 1) late and 2) like, 600 words shorter than usual. I'm very tired and fanfic isn't filling the emotional void I want it to. It's okay, though! I'll try to get another chapter up before Sunday as an apology for my shortcomings.  
> Figured I'd try to get a psuedo-holiday chapter up. If anyone over the age of 18 in Michigan is reading this, remember, today is our day to vote in the primaries! So like... do it.  
> Also like... I cannot get the formatting correct with this chapter I dont know what's up though kill me uggghhh I'll edit this later. Yeah, maybe I'll just work on editing and revising this week. Oof.  
> EDIT 03/18: Hi, all. I havent forgotten to update this week. I know I've been a bit off with updates this month and I apologize. Its been... an oof period of time. The next chapter is in the middle of being written. Fuck the schedule I'll just upload it the moment I finish it, yeah? Thanks for being so supportive!   
> Also, like. I have never gotten so many comments as I have on this chapter. Scott pissed yall off big time, huh?   
> For those of us whose lives have been turned all around by quarantines, hold onto hope! Everything will be alright!  
> xoxoHungryLiar

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration for this fic came from Star Damaged by Cone_of_Depression!  
> It's pretty much a straight rip and I apologize for that, but also like- I loved that fic so much that I went and found the manhwa that it's based on and it's sort of consumed my life. It's also straight up Artistotrash, which is a new term I'm banking on gaining popularity.  
> If you enjoy the BNHA fandom, please go check out Star Damaged! It's a wonderful BakuDeku reimagining of Full Marks and even though I've read all if Full Marks, I HAVE to read every chapter of SD each time CoD updates!  
> STags will be updated as the fic is. 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @hungryliar and Twitter @_multiheart  
> I need you guys to bully me mercilessly so ill write faster im trying hard but im shit at deadlines without pressure lol


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